Loved in Shades of Wrong
by givemelovelikeklaroline
Summary: "My hybrids experienced a bond to me that made them want to please me. I am experiencing the same desire for you. I now know how Tyler felt about me. I assure you it is most unpleasant and quite inconvenient. However, there is a way around all spells and bonds, as Tyler has proven. You just have to want it bad enough... I am going to find a way around this, around you."
1. You Were Never a Saint

**I can only wish to own The Vampire Diaries :(**

_"So you were never a saint _

_And I loved in shades of wrong._

_We learn to live with the pain,_

_Mosaic broken hearts,_

_But this love is brave and violent..."_

The rain was incessant. Hadn't let up for the past two hours. Caroline chose to concentrate on the sound of the drops of water hitting the ground rather than on the pain in her heart. She wanted more than anything to be able to stand next to Tyler today, just to hold his hand. To be the shoulder that he leaned on… cried on. He wouldn't allow it though. When she arrived at his mother's gravesite for the burial, Tyler managed to look up to see who had joined him, only to snarl when he saw her approaching, halting her mid-step. Caroline sighed and went to go stand next to Stefan, who had received the same treatment.

"At least he didn't tell us to get lost," Stefan said with a sad smile and giving her hand a comforting squeeze. "But barely," Caroline replied in a whisper only Stefan could hear.

_Freaking Klaus_, Caroline thought to herself. Just when she was ready to give him a chance _as a friend _he had to go and remove any hope she begrudgingly had for him. "_We've all done horrible things… what makes us any better than him?" _Stefan had asked. But he was different. Where they killed out of an uncontrollable bloodlust or self-defense, Klaus killed out of revenge. He was just like Damon.

She hated them both.

Staring at the raindrops, Caroline thought back to the last conversation she had with Tyler. It was the night Klaus killed Mrs. Lockwood and left her in the center of the town to be found by Tyler. He had carried her body home and cried over her with a bottle of whiskey in hand. Caroline found him this way, kneeling by the blazing fireplace. "Tyler," she called out to him quietly from the doorway. She had gotten a call from her mother an hour ago informing her Tyler was seen carrying a lifeless Carol home right after a witness had placed Klaus leaving the town square with blood dripping all over him. Caroline had been comforting Stefan at the time, who had just found out that his brother and ex-girlfriend had gotten it on behind his back. She came as fast as she could to comfort Tyler while Stefan, putting his grief at the betrayal aside, went to compel the witness to forget the traumatizing image of Klaus.

Tyler looked up, hearing Caroline call his name. Anguish and pain were clearly evident on his tear-streaked face. It broke Caroline's heart. She rushed to him, but before she could get there his face had changed. The pain was replaced by steely determination and an anger that was directed at her that she couldn't understand. He held up a hand as she reached him, making her keep her distance. "You don't get to be here," Tyler said. "You have been siding with _him_ for a while now. He's been feeding your ego all this time he's been ruining my life, and you've enjoyed it!"

"Tyler-," Caroline tried to interrupt but he wasn't done yet.

"NO! It's always about you and your friends, and what's best for them. You're supposed to be MY girlfriend! But it's always about you. This entire relationship has been about doing what you want to do, hanging out with your friends, protecting _your friends_. You couldn't for once put me first. You sacrificed _MY _friend to save Elena, who- let's face it, needs to die. How many friends are you willing to sacrifice to keep her alive?! Why can't you face the fact that Elena's every survival has brought pain to the rest of us? If she had died on that bridge with her parents _you_ wouldn't be dead, Bonnie's mother would still be alive, Damon and Stefan wouldn't constantly be in a struggle over her, Jeremy wouldn't have lost Jenna, I'd still have uncle Mason and I WOULDN'T BE A FREAKING HYBRID! We'd both be alive and living out the possibility of a happily ever after complete with a family in our future."

Caroline, at a loss for words with the hatred in Tyler's eyes, could only stare open mouthed, wanting to say something but not knowing what. It didn't matter. Tyler was on a roll.

"Klaus made me a hybrid. He set me on a path that hurt you. So I went to fix myself. _FOR YOU._ I was fine with him before it meant losing you. So I changed for you. And what did you do? You went on a freaking date with him! You've spent every moment you've had with him flirting and he's been softening you… I changed for you and you… you changed for him…"

At this point Caroline had heard enough. With tears in her eyes she stopped him, "Stop it, Tyler. Stop. I love you. Klaus can't change that. And all the time I've spent with him has been to distract him and get him on our side. I would never do something like this. Not to you. Not ever. I love _you._"

Tyler just shook his head with a defeated laugh. "Yeah, you love me, but you can never put our love before what Stefan needs or what will help Elena. You picked them so I'll pick me. You go be with your friends. I don't need you anymore. You were never there for me anyway." And with that he turned away. Caroline was dismissed.

She came to the funeral hoping he'd cooled down and was ready to talk it out without his grief clouding his judgment, but obviously that was not the case. Caroline sighed in exasperation. _Just gotta wait him out._

As she was pondering the best course of action to take with Tyler, Caroline got the feeling she was being watched. She looked up and didn't notice anyone out of the ordinary but the hair on her neck was prickling with unease. She looked over her shoulder and there, a little ways down, stood Klaus. Wearing a grim expression, hands behind his back and his gaze unwavering from Caroline, he tilted his head inviting her towards him.

_The audacity of this man! _Caroline wasn't scared. She knew by now that he wouldn't hurt her, but she was angry and feared for Tyler. Beside her, Stefan turned to see what caught her attention and stiffened at the sight of Klaus. He moved to approach Klaus, but Caroline stayed him with her hand. "Let me handle this," she said. Stefan hesitated before giving a single nod.

As Caroline approached him Klaus opened his mouth to speak, but Caroline stopped him, raising her hand and pushing him down the hill, away from the gravesite and Tyler. "What the hell do you think you're doing here? Haven't you caused enough damage?" Caroline asked.

"On the contrary, love, I haven't even begun." Klaus smirked.

For some reason this didn't scare Caroline, even though subconsciously she knew it should. "Klaus, whatever plans you have, whatever you think you're doing you need to stop. Please. Just… not today. Just leave Tyler alone. _Please_," she pleaded.

Klaus seemed to consider it. "Since you asked so nicely, what with all the 'please' and stuff, I'll make you a deal. You come with me. I leave here with you instead of him."

Caroline stared at him in disbelief. She got the feeling this was what he was after when he arrived at the Mystic Falls Cemetery. She wanted to adamantly decline, but she couldn't risk Tyler. Not today. So, with his face in mind, she said, "okay. Where are we going?"

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

He brought her to his mansion. Caroline had been here once for the ball thrown by his family. That night the place was dressed up in lights, showing off the mansion's grandeur. Tonight however, Caroline was in awe of the place stripped from all the trappings of the ball. _My entire house can fit into just the foyer_, Caroline thought to herself.

Klaus watched her take in his home, the admiration evident on her face. "Make yourself at home. I'll just be a minute," he said as he walked up the stairs.

"Yeah…" _Not likely. _She stayed in her spot by the door and took in the landscape hanging on the wall. It was a nighttime painting. The moon was reflected perfectly on a lake surrounded by the forest. There was a haunting quality to it. She started to turn away from it but noticed something hidden in the corner of the dark woods: a lone wolf standing still, facing the painter.

"There's a secluded lake in the heartland of Russia that wasn't discovered until the late 1800s. I assure you the painting does no justice to its beauty before it got overrun by seasonal tourists," Klaus said from behind her.

Caroline slowly turned to face him. He'd changed out of his wet clothes, she noticed. "It's one of yours, isn't it? You painted this."

With a flattered and cocky look, Klaus handed her the towel he brought from upstairs to dry her rain soaked hair. "Glad to see you recognize my work," he said as she dried hair. "Yes, I painted it in the 1600s during a dark period in my life. I had just lost the doppelganger, you see, and I had to work off a temper."

Caroline stopped drying herself and turned back to the painting, the significance of the wolf finally dawning on her. "You're lonely. You related to the wolf that you so desired to be but you were left able to be only half of who you are." Angry now, she threw the towel at his chest and stepped away from him and the painting. "You're lonely and last night you ensured that Tyler is as well, because you were mad that he took away the hybrids you created to be your comrades, or whatever."

"Quite the statement, Caroline," Klaus said, folding the towel and raising an eyebrow at her.

"Yeah, but the jokes on you, Klaus. See… you failed. You wanted him to be as lonely as you are, but he isn't lonely. He has me. Always will. I love him, and as much you'd hate to believe it, I trust him. So he'll still have love and you will only have your pride."

With his face growing grim with each word she said, he dropped the towel and sped over to where she stood in the entryway to his sitting room. Looming over her, he said, "and what you don't know, sweetheart, is that I went by his house the other night, intent on torturing if not killing him, and I happened to hear a very interesting conversation…"

Caroline felt her cheeks go hot but lifted her chin so as not to let him know he unsettled her. "You don't know what you heard."

Klaus took a step back, apparently satisfied with the reaction on Caroline's face. "I don't think you have him the way you want to believe, Caroline."

"You know nothing. Tyler's just.. mad right now. It's… the werewolf aggression in him. He'll come around," Caroline said, not wanting to acknowledge how close he was to the truth.

"Maybe. Or maybe, unlike with that fake spat of yours over the lovely Hayley, this really is the end between you two. I'm certain Tyler believes so. You won't go back to him, love," Klaus declared with a confidence that rattled Caroline's nerves. He had a plan and she was certain she was playing right into it.

"Why won't I?" she asked.

Klaus smiled and walked around her to sit comfortably on the couch behind her. "Because, sweetheart, you're going to sacrifice your 'love' for his safety." Knowing she didn't yet understand him, Klaus leaned forward and looked up at her face. "You are going to stay here. With me. As long as you're here I won't go after Tyler in any way."

Confused beyond belief, Caroline took a seat in the armchair to his right. "Until when?" she asked.

"Until I get you out of my system."

"But why?! Look, I never liked you before, but after what you did to Mrs. Lockwood I hate you. Isn't that enough to get over me? Couldn't you get me out of your system by leaving Mystic Falls? I'm sure California has many other blondes for you to follow around!"

"Perhaps, but you… have a hold on me, Caroline," he said hesitantly, not quite wanting her to know the power she had over him. "I tell myself not to trust you, not to indulge myself and my time in pursuing you, yet somehow I keep coming back to you." This said, he got up and started pacing around the room, leaving Caroline seated and more confused than ever.

"Do you think I don't know when you and your friends are playing you against me? I've been around for a while, sweetheart. I can sense distraction from a mile away. And still, for some reason I find myself giving into you.. hoping you'll change your mind. Hoping you'll give me a chance. I _keep _giving you chances and you keep disappointing me, yet… I still find myself waiting for the next time I get to be around you."

With this he paused to lean down and brace his hands on the armchair Caroline was seated at. She leaned back, feeling guiltier with each statement out of his mouth. "What is this hold you have on me?!" he said snarling in her face. "Why can't I get you out of my head?"

"I don't know…" she whispered, looking up into his eyes. She saw his confusion and pain and knew her eyes mirrored his.

"No, I don't suppose you do…" he whispered more to himself. Then he straightened and walked to the fireplace, pouring himself scotch. "I'm not used to wanting something I can't have and I don't want to want you anymore. I had plans, but Tyler changed all that. I had plans for Elena that don't seem so significant anymore. I have new plans now and they don't include you, not with all the betrayal you seem to be throwing around lately. So you're going to stay here, with me, until my mind can get over its fascination with you."

This was what she wanted, but for some reason his words hurt her. "How will my being here change anything?"

Klaus stared at her until she was sure he wouldn't answer. Then he said, "My hybrids experienced a bond to me that made them _want_ to please me. I am experiencing the same desire for you. I now know how Tyler felt about me. I assure you it is most unpleasant and quite inconvenient. However, there is a way around all spells and bonds, as Tyler has proven. You just have to want it bad enough. I am not weak like Elena. I _am _the alpha male. I am going to find a way around this, around you."

Caroline couldn't believe this. Klaus had feelings. Not just that. He had _genuine_ feelings. For her. By the confusion on his face, it was evident that he wasn't familiar with these feelings. He was one of those vampires who believe love and caring made you weak, made you a liability. All this time Caroline thought he was just amusing himself with her… he was actually thinking about her.

In that moment Caroline knew, if she played it right, this trial of his could either work in her favor or be disastrous for all she loved.

"Rome, Paris, Tokyo… I promised you the world once. Now I just want to take mine back. As much as you've hurt me, Caroline, I don't want to hurt you. But if this doesn't work out soon I _will _kill you. I cannot afford to have a walking, talking distraction going about around town."

**If it gets enough reviews, I'll upload more. If not then this is just my pathetic rambling. So review? Please and thank you!**


	2. Changing Minds

**Oh, my Lord. I didn't expect this kind of response to my first fanfic. WHERE HAVE YOU PEOPLE BEEN ALL MY LIFE?! Thanks for all the reviews/follows/favs! I hope you know the kind of pressure this puts on me, though. I'm not very creative. I just have a lot of feels that Julie Plec has trouble satisfying.**

_"We are alone with our changing minds._

_We fall in love till it hurts or bleeds,_

_or fades in time..."_

Forgoing a tour of her glamorous new prison, Klaus showed her to a room in the west wing of his mansion. "You'll be staying in this room until we get this all sorted out," he said from the doorway. Taking in the beautifully decorated room with one sweeping glance, Caroline walked up to open the heavily curtained window. At least the rain had let up. _Unlike Klaus's mood,_ thought Caroline.

"Is this all really necessary?" she asked without turning to face him. "Can't you do your little experiment with me at home? You can come by everyday and see if there's a change in your… disposition," Caroline finished with a lack of a better word.

Klaus sped over to her, turning her to face him. "The only disposition that needs to change is yours, my sweet Caroline. It's you that draws me! This is all _your_ fault! There is something about you that I cannot let go of. _You_ are what's wrong with me." His eyes lifted to follow his fingers as they pushed back a strand of hair from her eyes. "I've lived a thousand years and _never_ have I encountered a being that has a hold on me like you do," he continued softly, his gaze sliding back down to hold hers. "So we're going to fix that. I'm going to make sure that when you're done here there is no longer _anything_ about you that viscerally attracts me."

Caroline tried to keep the fear out of her eyes as she stared into his. Along with the fear, she realized she felt a slight thrill go through her at his words. Here was this big, bad, original hybrid that felt _threatened _by his feelings for her. She wasn't quite sure what to make of that.

At the same time, both of their eyes moved to where Klaus was still holding her arm from when he turned her around. As if burned by the contact, Klaus suddenly let go and stalked out of the room. Pausing in the doorway, he stopped to say, "do not defy me in this, Caroline. I will not hesitate to compel you. I want out of this hold you have on me once and for all. The sooner, the better."

As soon as she figured he was far enough down the hallway that he wouldn't hear her, Caroline let out the breath she had been holding. _Well, this sucks. _

She walked up to the bed that sat on a dais and realized something. She sped back to her doorway and yelled towards where Klaus disappeared, "hey, I need dry clothes to sleep in! I might not be able to catch pneumonia and die but this still feels gross!"

"Bottom drawer of the dresser," came the reply from another corner of the house.

"What the-," Caroline muttered to herself as she approached the dresser that sat across from the bed. _He better not expect me to wear Rebekah's clothes. Or worse, his._ Opening the bottom drawer she was taken aback to see her pajama bottoms neatly folded along with her tights and various other sweatpants. Pulling her pajamas out she opened the other drawers to find her clothes all arranged the same way she had them at home. Opening the top drawer she was flustered to see even her undergarments had been organized.

_Seriously?_ Along with this thought came another realization: All of Klaus's hybrids were gone and no other vampire had been invited into her home. Klaus had to have gone into her room to get all of her things himself. _Oh, my God! Somebody needs to teach this guy some boundaries!_

Uncomfortable at the thought of Klaus arranging her bras and underwear, Caroline grabbed her pajamas and a tank top and walked into the attached bathroom. While changing her clothes, Caroline noticed her toothbrush and toothpaste sitting on the shelf next to the sink. She looked over to see her shampoo and razor sitting by the big-enough-to-fit-two tub. _Ugh, that's it. Time to give this guy a lesson in personal space!_

Intent on giving Klaus a piece of her mind, Caroline finished changing and charged out of her room. She was tying her hair in a ponytail as she neared the top of the stairs, when she heard the sound of the door opening. She quickly stepped back out of sight.

"Ah, Stefan, my favorite ripper! I don't recall you ever knocking before. Pleasant change, but we're amongst friends here. Come for a drink, mate?" Klaus chatted amiably, opening the door for Stefan to enter.

"Cut the act, Klaus. Where's Caroline? What have you done with her?" Stefan asked, entering the house with a simmering anger.

Klaus closed the door, groaning in frustration. "Always with the accusations! Do you really think I'd hurt her just like that, out of the blue? Have I not saved her repeatedly? You know… you have trust issues, Stefan. I suggest you go work on your problems instead of meddling in mine."

"You don't give a crap about my problems! Did you ever think _you _might be the reason I have trust issues? You took away my memories from the '20s. Then you manipulated me into leaving Mystic Falls with you. You turned me into the ripper I spent _decades_ trying to erase, and then compelled me to turn off my humanity. So excuse me if I continue to accuse you for all the bad that goes down around me." Stefan walked up to Klaus with a menacing scowl. "Now, I'm not leaving until you tell me what you've done with Caroline."

Klaus's mood went grim at Stefan's words. "Don't pretend you didn't enjoy every kill," Klaus replied softly. "I was there with you, remember? Your problem is that you try to suppress your nature so you end up with regrets. But while your lips are on them, drawing out their life source… you're in ecstasy, Stefan. I merely gave you the ability to indulge in your desires. You're the one who reveled in it." Satisfied with the unease on Stefan's face, Klaus steeped away from him and continued, "and as for Caroline, why don't you talk to her yourself, seeing as how you're having trouble trusting me? Caroline, love, you can come out now."

Caroline moved into view to see Klaus and Stefan looking up at her. "Stefan," she whispered. She wanted nothing more than to escape with Stefan but knew it wasn't an option. He walked to the base of the stairs as she descended, stopping on the first step so she'd be at eye level with him.

He grabbed her shoulders and asked, "are you okay? Let's get you home."

"I'm afraid that's not an option, mate," Klaus said from behind him.

Without turning around, Stefan continued to look Caroline in the eyes with concern. "What's he talking about?"

Caroline eyes filled with regret and frustration as she tried to explain. "I-I made a deal with him," she started, not wanting to let him know the real reason. _Out of embarrassment?_ she wondered. "As long as I stay with him he won't hurt Tyler."

At this Stefan let go of Caroline to face Klaus. "Let her go. I'll stay in her place. You and me. We'll leave Mystic Falls and go on living up our brotherhood like we did in the '20s. We'll find the cure faster if we're working together anyways."

Klaus scoffed at his words. "I no longer care for the cure. I don't give a damn what happens with Elena… though I was rooting for you. Pesky thing, that sire bond," Klaus finished with a smirk. "And why would I make more hybrids? So that Tyler can turn them against me as well? I should really just kill Tyler and move on, but Caroline here seems to object to that and my mind objects to upsetting her. So as you see I have enough matters on my plate without adding you on. Now… unless you want your neck snapped, I suggest you go home."

Stefan turned back to look at Caroline with questioning eyes. Caroline knew he didn't want to be alone. He'd been relying on her support for the past few days. He was slowly losing everyone: Elena, his brother, now her. Without her to keep him in check, she wasn't sure he could keep himself from giving into his bloodlust.

Touching his cheek, she gave him the only encouragement she could offer. "It's okay, Stefan. I'll be okay. And so will you."

Stefan's eyes showed his uncertainty. He didn't trust himself to control the ripper side of him.

"Touching," Klaus remarked dryly. "But you really need to get going, mate."

Caroline looked past Stefan to glare at him. _Seriously? _He claimed to have such a strong bond with Stefan. Couldn't he see Stefan was hurting? _So much for the brotherhood of the travelling rippers. _She decided it was a good time as any to test the control she had over him.

Looking back at Stefan she said, "Go home. Fill Bonnie in on my… situation. She'll get word to Elena. Tell them not to worry. It'll all work out soon." _Now or never. _"When the craving gets bad and you feel like you're slipping or about to lose control, you come straight here to me. I'm still your friend and I'm still here for you. Isn't that right Klaus?" Caroline asked glancing up at Klaus.

"Absolutely not," Klaus replied without a hint of regret. "I'm not housing an addict recovery program. Find another sponsor."

Caroline gave Klaus a pointed look and stared him down. _Please, let this work!_

Klaus stared back unrelentingly. Caroline was about to give up when he sighed in exasperation. "Fine. Come back when the ripper wants to come out and play," Klaus said. Rolling his eyes he muttered, "he's much more entertaining, anyways."

_Yes! _Caroline looked back at Stefan. "Go. I'll be here."

And so with Klaus holding open the door, Stefan walked away with one final look at salvation over his shoulder. Klaus firmly shut the door in his face and turned back to face Caroline who stared back at him, arms folded across her chest, and a mutinous expression clear on face. "Pleased?" she asked.

"_Pleased_?! Not in the slightest. Tell me, love, is every man in town in love with you?" He asked walking over to his whiskey bottle on the fireplace.

Caroline looked at him bemused. "At the moment nobody is in love with me. Not even my boyfriend. You made sure of that, remember?"

"Stefan sure seems to fancy you," he remarked, pouring himself a drink.

"_Stefan_ is hurting. He feels lonely." Grabbing the bottle without waiting for him to offer it, she continued, "only instead of drowning his sorrows in alcohol like the rest of us, Stefan likes to drown himself in blood."

Watching her take a drink straight from the bottle, he asked, "Is it preposterous to believe he'd start to admire the woman who supported him through his darkest time?"

Caroline pulled the bottle the bottle from her mouth with a resounding _pop_ and looked at Klaus like he had completely lost it. "Please! Stefan is _so_ hung up on Elena. The stupid sire bond is getting in the way of their epic love. Besides," she replied plopping herself down in the armchair by the fireplace as he perched on the arm of the couch to face her, "I remind him of his friend Lexi, whom Damon killed by the way. So if anything, he feels like a brother would towards me."

"So you don't think Damon can be right for Elena?"

"The only one right for Damon is himself. Or Katherine. God knows, they both share sociopathic tendencies. They were practically made for each other." She considered the thought for a second. "In which case, I guess it's better that they're not together. With them together the whole world would go to hell and you'd have nothing to do with it," she said lifting her bottle to salute him.

Klaus smiled, finding himself enjoying this side of Caroline. She always opened up to him when they were discussing her friends instead of each other. He admired her concern over them.

_Loyalty! That is what's missing in this generation! Though Caroline seems to have it in spades… _Klaus pulled himself from these thoughts. That was just the kind of feeling he wanted to prevent when he thought about Caroline.

"Why are we sitting here discussing the pros and cons of Team Stelena vs Team Delena, anyway?" she wondered aloud to him, amused at the turn their conversation had taken.

_Time to put an end to this_, he thought. "You're right," he said taking the bottle from her. "You should be getting to bed. Now," he added when she didn't move and only stared up at him in confusion.

"Fine. Whatever. Your company isn't exactly ideal, regardless of what you seem to think," she said getting up and turning away from him to walk back to the stairs.

Before she could get past him, however, he grabbed her hand, stopping her to say, "you didn't seem to mind it a few minutes ago, love. Don't be mad I'm sending you to your bed before you're done having your way with me. Bitter doesn't suit you."

Knowing he was just trying to get a rise out of her, Caroline pulled her hand away. "Don't flatter yourself." With a look that clearly displayed her disgust towards him, she continued on towards the stairs.

Behind her, Klaus added, "and don't wander around alone at night. You never know what kind of monster might be lurking in the shadows just waiting for you…"

-THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES-

Later that night, as she was lying in bed trying her hardest to fall asleep, she went over the conversation she overheard between Klaus and Stefan. Something seemed to bother her, but she couldn't place what it was.

And then it clicked.

"_And why would I make more hybrids? So that Tyler can turn them against me as well? I should really just kill Tyler and move on, but Caroline here seems to object to that and my mind objects to upsetting her. So as you see I have enough matters on my plate…"_

Caroline abruptly sat up in bed with the covers around her. The only thing keeping Klaus from killing Tyler _was her_. As soon as he was over his fixation with her, Klaus wouldn't hesitate to kill Tyler. He'd be able to walk away without regrets. That's why he was so intent on removing his weakness for her! He didn't give up on his plans for finding the cure for Elena. He just put it on pause until he was sure he wouldn't regret losing all hopes of any type of relationship with her forever…

Up until this moment Caroline had every intention of putting on an act that would repulse him from ever having any emotion towards her whatsoever.

_Change of game plan._

Caroline now had to make sure that she kept this hold on him so he'd never risk upsetting her. But he said he'd kill her... _Would he? Only one way to find out, I guess..._

The cheerleader vampire had to find a way to make the original hybrid fall in love.

She fell back onto her pillows with a groan of resignation.

_Ugh, crap! Seriously?!_

**I am a craptastic writer, but reviews bring motivation. Please and thank you!**


	3. Never Saw You Coming

**Can I just say that I love when you review with your favorite quotes from the chapter? You absolutely make my day :)**_  
_

_"This is the golden age __of something _

_good and right and real._

_And I never saw you coming..."_

Caroline refused to open her eyes the next morning, even though the sunlight seeping through the window was almost painful. _If I don't see it, it didn't happen._

But it did happen. She could feel it in the thousand-count Egyptian cotton sheets she was laying on. _At least Mr. Big Bad doesn't skimp on the guest linens._

With a sigh, a groan, and another sigh for good measure Caroline forced herself out of the comfort and safety of her bed and walked to the window to open the curtains and let in the relentless sunlight. It really was a beautiful day. She could see the raindrops still hanging onto leaves sparkle in the glow of the sun. _I can do this. I am not going to let a million year old monster ruin my life._

She walked to what she assumed were the closet doors between her bed and the window. Caroline took a second, with her hands on the two door handles, to mentally brace herself for whatever breach of privacy Klaus may have committed. She opened the doors and let out a soft breath.

All of her clothes, even the ones that needed to be laundered, where neatly pressed and hung inside the walk-in closet the size of her bedroom at home.

Her shoes were arranged on the shelves on the left wall, her belts hung on hooks next to them. The right wall held her skirts, pants, blouses and dresses in that order. _He even brought over my cheerleading uniform…_

On the front wall of the closet was a vanity area. Taped to the bottom left corner of the mirror was the drawing Caroline had painstakingly hidden after Tyler had a fit of jealousy. _How did he find that? _She sat down on the cushioned seat and stared at herself in the mirror. _Who is this guy and what am I doing here with him?_

She opened the drawers under the vanity counter. On the left and right side was her assortment of accessories. In the middle was all her make-up. Caroline could not wrap her head around the meticulous care Klaus had apparently taken in arranging her stay here.

Turning her head to the right, away from the thoughts disrupting her peace of mind, she noticed a garment bag hanging at the end of her clothing rack that she didn't recognize. Caroline stood to unzip the bag and was more than a little annoyed to see the dress he had bought her for his family's ball. She had hidden it in a box under her bed, along with the drawing.

_He actually thinks I would want this… this.. beautiful, elegant and more-expensive-than-anything-I-could-ever- afford dress? _She rolled her eyes at her thoughts. _Well, of course I want it. Doesn't mean I want him to know I want it, damn it!_

"It is way too early for these thoughts," she muttered to herself. Grabbing a pair of jeans and a top at random, Caroline marched into the bathroom and took a quick shower. While blow-drying her hair (_he even brought my curling iron...),_ she went over the plan she spent all night formulating.

_There needs to be a manual on Original Love. "How to Make Him Fall in Love Without Him Realizing What's Happening." Can't be too obvious or he'll get suspicious. Suspicious Klaus=Certain death. _

With a light hand on the blush and a heavy hand with the lip-gloss, Caroline strode out of her room, putting on a peach cardigan as she went. _Time to flirt with the devil._

After what felt like a million wrong turns, Caroline finally found the kitchen and Klaus enjoying breakfast in the form of two fancily dressed brunettes. His servant girls, she assumed.

"Flashy meal," she muttered before she could stop herself.

"Hello, love. Breakfast?" Klaus offered, holding one of the girls out to her with a smirk.

_Play nice, Caroline! _Trying to disguise the horror on her face, Caroline tried to form a reply. "Um.. that's okay. I'm just… I'm just going to run and get some blood bags from Meredith. Besides, I like my blood at room temperature," she finished with what she hoped was a convincing smile.

Before she could turn around, Klaus had sped over to block the way. "Play your cards right, sweetheart, and you'll live a long life. That's a long time for a vampire to go without enjoying the vein." He studied her face as if he was trying to find something there.

"You'll learn to enjoy it," he nodded to himself, then stepped back. "But until then I've made some arrangements for you." He walked over to the refrigerator, pulled out a blood bag and tossed it to her.

"A little colder than you like, but I assume you'll make do," he said with a knowing smile. He started to walk out of the room with a command to the other girls to get cleaned up.

_Come on, Caroline! Think of _something _nice to say! _"Uh, Klaus," she started, making him pause in the doorway. "Thank you… for… having everything arranged for me."

He turned around to stare at her with an eyebrow raised in question. _Too nice! Now he's suspicious!_

"I mean, if I have to stay here against my will, at least I'm comfortable," she continued, letting some sass back into her tone, hoping to erase the questions in his mind.

"Yes, well, I couldn't have you making excuses to leave, now could I?" he replied. "You might be here for a while, love. Best that you know I don't deal well with incessant whining right from the start."

"I so do not whine!" Caroline shot back outraged as she stomped towards him, blood bag in hand. "I make my needs known and take serious action when they're not met."

Klaus took a step towards her to close the distance when she stopped a foot away from him. "Good to know," he said in a low tone.

"You let me know of any needs you may have, sweetheart, and if they happen to coincide with my needs, I'll gladly give you what you're asking for," he finished with a slight smile showing just a hint of his dimple.

Caroline could feel the heat radiating off of him from the warm blood he had just consumed. She could smell the delicious taste of that blood in his mouth mixed with a smell that was uniquely Klaus's. She had to pull herself away from leaning in even closer. She took a step back, realizing the sexual context he was implying.

Klaus saw the retreat and smirked in victory. "I'll see you around, Caroline," he said as he turned around to walk away.

She watched him walk away with her mouth hung open in confusion.

"Wait! Where are you going?" _This is not how my plan is supposed to work! _"I thought I was here to.. solve your problem. How am I supposed to do that on my own?!"

"I'm not in the mood, Caroline," he called over his shoulder.

Caroline could not believe the nerve of this guy! "_Not in the mood?!_ What, you think I was in the mood to spend an indefinite amount of time cooped up in a museum-of-a-house with a serial killer?" she asked as she followed him through the mansion. "If I have to be stuck in this, albeit luxurious, hell hole, I'm going to make damn sure you're as miserable as I am!"

She nearly walked into him as he stopped in the sitting room before two massive doors to face her. "Trust me, love, I was miserable long before you came to stay here. You're only here because, as you know, misery loves company," he said with a self-deprecating smile.

Caroline paused at the honesty on his face. "I thought I was here to _end_ your misery?" she asked softly.

Klaus stared at her for a bit, considering his answer. "I'd be obliged if you can manage it, but for some reason I get the feeling that's no longer what you want…" His unwavering stare was making her uncomfortable.

"Being around for a few hundred years, you learn to pick up on human behavior, and something tells me not to turn my back on you. You came downstairs this morning with a plan. I'll admit I'm curious as to what you're up to, but need I remind you: the safety of your loved ones depends on your actions. So I ask you, Caroline, what is it you want?"

Again, she was taken aback by the fact that he could read her so well. She chose to purposely misunderstand him to lead him away from his suspicions.

"I don't know what I want, anymore. I wanted Tyler, but he doesn't seem to want me. Stefan needs me, but he doesn't want me in the same way a girl likes to feel wanted. _You _don't even want me anymore." She hadn't meant to be this honest with him, but now that she had started, she couldn't seem to stop.

"I'm 18 and I'm a vampire that nobody wants. What am I supposed to do with my eternity?" she asked, the question aimed more towards herself.

Klaus ignored the last part, even as thousands of suggestions flitted through his mind. "Oh, I still want you, Caroline, don't doubt that," he said looking her straight in the eye. "My problem is I'm a thousand year old hybrid that for the first time wants something I've spent a hundred lifetimes avoiding."

This said, he turned back toward the doors to slide them open and stepped into what Caroline remembered as his studio. Watching him walk over to an easel set up with a painting in progress, she was more confused than ever.

"So… what? You're just going to ignore me all day and go paint with all the colors of the wind?" she asked letting go of all intentions of flirting and settling for being annoyed instead.

Klaus paused in his inspection of his brushes to look over and raise a questioning eyebrow at her.

"Seriously? A thousand years and you never took the time to appreciate a good Disney movie?" she asked baffled at the blank look on his face. "Pocahontas? Historical figure. Married an English man. Any of his ring a bell? Or are you just too old to remember?"

"Ah, yes, of course. I remember the feisty young girl I met in the early 17th century. About your age, I believe. She defied societal standards and caused quite in uproar in the House of Lords. You would have enjoyed her," he added with a smile towards her. "She was impetuous but I don't remember her mentioning painting."

Caroline stared at him incredulously as he turned back to his work. "One day, Klaus, you're going to find yourself with the time to enjoy the romance of a movie. I just hope I'm around to say 'I told you so.'"

"Please, sweetheart. I don't have time to enjoy historical inaccuracies. Trust me when I say that reality is much more entertaining," he said as he resumed his painting. Without turning around he added, "you know, I could teach you a lot more about history than you could ever hope to learn from a book, or God forbid, a movie."

"I bet," Caroline muttered as she went back through the massive doorway back to the sitting room and plopped herself down on the couch facing him.

She took out her phone and started tapping away with one hand while finishing her blood bag with the other.

"What are you doing?" Caroline looked up to see Klaus had turned around with that damn eyebrow raised at her yet again, palette and brush in hand.

She pulled the empty blood bag from her mouth and tossed it on the table in front of her. _Forget flirting with this bipolar hybrid. It'd be a miracle if I can go the day without attacking him!_

"I'm texting. Don't tell me you have a problem with that, too," she said, ready to fight him on it.

He stared at her for a few moments with a blank expression, considering her request.

"Go ahead, enjoy the modern marvels of technology," he said, turning back to the canvas. "I'm not sharing any deep, dark secrets for you to spread. Not even torturing anyone at the moment. Be sure to tell your friends how domesticated I am. Oh, and ask Stefan how the bunnies are faring today."

Caroline did not appreciate the mockery in his tone but chose to ignore it. She went back to her phone. She checked the messages from Bonnie (You're staying with Klaus?! ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR MIND?) and Matt (Care, you can't be seriously staying with that freak. Are you sure you know what you're doing?) and even skimmed over the demanding questions from Damon (Who asked you to execute 'Mission Impossible: Neutralize Terrorizing Hybrid' on your own?! Need a rescue, Blondie?).

Something was missing… and then she realized what it was."What the hell…?" She marched back up to Klaus, picking up an array of brushes on the way and tossed them all at his back.

He turned around to find her standing three feet away from him, arms crossed and looking stunning in her fury. "May I ask what that bit of childish behavior was for?"

"_What did you do with my mother?!_" she demanded.

"I beg your pardon? I haven't done anything. Your lovely mother is actually my favorite woman in town," he added with a grin. "Quite accommodating."

"Shut! Up! I haven't gotten a single text from her since yesterday, not a single missed call! In this town that means she's either dead, or _she's dead!_ And I swear to God, Klaus, if you've done anything to hurt her I will redefine your misery!" Caroline was furious enough to challenge him.

He hated that he noticed this, but he could not help but appreciate the effect of her rage.

_If she only let herself indulge in the full potential of her vampire nature… with this simmering explosiveness she'd be a magnificent force to be reckoned with, _Klaus thought to himself. _Quite on par with Stefan's glory days._

"Answer me, damn it!" Caroline brought him back to her dilemma at hand. Her eyes turned pleading, "Klaus, please…"

"Your mother is safe," he began. "I went to your house after you had left for the funeral. Sheriff Forbes was just about to leave to join you. I informed her you'd be staying with me for a while. Reminded her that I have a history of saving you, not wanting you dead. Eventually, she saw reason. Made me give my word not to harm you. I told her it all depended on how well you cooperated."

Seeing the fight go out of her, he put his brush and palette down, wiped his hands clean on a rag soaked in turpentine. "Motherly concern aside, she seems to think you're quite capable of handling yourself. Odd that you don't think the same of her."

He wondered at the lost look on her face. "She's just… she's human. I worry about her," she replied, trying to make him understand.

"I don't know if you've noticed," she continued quietly, "but in a town of vampires, parents are kinda extinct. I just lost my dad… Klaus, please don't hurt my mother," she finished, looking up at him with her beseeching eyes.

Knowing her request was well-warranted considering his most recent kill, Klaus found himself insulted she would believe he would do that to her.

Not wanting to let her see how it bothered him, he only replied, "don't let it come to that, love," and strode out of the room, leaving Caroline standing alone once again, confused and just a little scared.

**This is a filler chapter. I've been stuck in a filler chapter for days. I've finally got it all mapped out, though** **:)**

**Review, please? Thank you!**


	4. Touch and Go

_"I'm walking fast through the traffic lights,_

_Busy streets and busy lives,_

_And all we know is touch and go..."_

"Kill me," Caroline said with a moan, her eyes staring blankly at some spot on the ceiling. "Just kill me already."

Klaus looked at her lying on the floor of his studio with veiled amusement. "Stop with the dramatics, love. You're starting to sound like Rebekah."

Caroline lifted herself on her right elbow to glare at her tormentor. "Do _not_ compare me to your attention-seeking sister. We are _nothing _alike," Caroline snapped at him.

Falling back to stare at the ceiling, she added, "And I'd prefer you kill me now and get it over with, than draw it out one miserable day at a time."

It had been three days since she had been cooped up in the mansion with Klaus. Each day she would wake up to find him gorging on his girls. Caroline would grab herself a blood bag from the fridge and force herself to sit and watch him, not letting him have the satisfaction of knowing it bothered her.

Afterward, she'd follow him into his studio where he would continue to paint in violent strokes of red and black on his canvas.

She would watch him go about his task and would inevitably make a remark that would lead to him storming out of the house. He'd be gone for hours at a time, and she would sit and wait for him by the fireplace, drink in hand.

He hadn't compelled her to stay, but she did.

_Best not to piss off the evil hybrid,_ she thought to herself the first night she waited up for him. _He'd just come find me and drag me back here, more pissed than before. Not helping in the "Woo Mr. Original Charming" plan. _

And each night Klaus would leave her to go run through the woods beside his property, in hopes of ridding his senses of her, before going back to wallow in the light of her aura. It was a vicious cycle of binging and purging.

He would return home to find her waiting for him. He'd join her silently with a drink in hand and stare at her, his thoughts in utter turmoil.

_Why did she stay? Is she not afraid of what I could do to her? What secrets is she hiding?_

They would sit and watch each other, the only sound being the fire cackling in the background, until Caroline would sigh in defeat and walk back to her room, disappointment evident in her eyes.

Klaus would watch her go, confused. _Is she disappointed in me? Or in herself for staying?_

He would stay up half the night drawing her visage over and over, with the various emotions he would see flutter through her face throughout the day. The images would haunt him in his dreams.

Staring at her now lying sullenly on the ground while he painted, he mulled over her statement. Not wanting to sound as curious as he was, Klaus asked lightly, "does my company really make you that miserable?"

"Yes!" she instantly replied. Registering the vulnerability in his question a moment too late, Caroline went still. She sat up to face him and hugged her knees to her chest. _Don't offend the evil hybrid, Caroline. Get him to like you!_

"No… Not miserable… but Klaus… I can't live like this. This isn't me. You said you want to get over me, but how are you going to do that when you're putting us in an alternate reality?" she asked wanting him to understand, desperate to convince him to let her out.

"Let's say you get tired of me and send me back to my life, thinking you're over whatever it is you feel for me. What happens if I go back to my life, back to being the real version of me, not this constricted, agitated version and your feelings come back? Are you going to bring me back? Are we going to keep repeating this cycle?" she asked, her distress growing with each word.

He understood the logic but was reluctant to admit it to her. In all honesty, he was actually very reluctant to let her free. He didn't know how he'd manage not knowing where she was every day. He had grown comfortable in her presence.

Klaus was also unwilling to acknowledge that particular fact. In the thousand years he had spent roaming the Earth he had learned one thing: never be too comfortable with the people around you. Eventually they all leave. Or die. _Best not to get too attached_, he reminded himself. _In the end, we are left utterly alone._

Klaus put down his brush and palette as he turned to address her. He crouched down in front of where she sat on the ground and said, "You overestimate yourself, Caroline. When I decide to let you go it'll be because I never want to see you again."

Tilting his head to look down at the floor between them, he continued in a lower voice, "I am not my sister. I am not desperate for your love or attention." To Caroline, it almost sounded as if he was convincing _himself_, not her.

He lifted his eyes and studied her face as he chose his next words carefully. "Rebekah thought I was pathetic for being incapable of love. She could be right, but at least I am not weak like her."

His low voice raised chills on her arms. Finding her mouth suddenly dry, Caroline licked her lips and swallowed.

Klaus found himself riveted by this action. His eyes never leaving her lips, he continued, "You potentially have the power to make me weak, Caroline. I cannot allow that. I will kill you before I allow that." Almost as if he couldn't help himself, he reverently ran a finger against her moist lips.

The soft touch was gone as he sped back to his place in front of his canvas. Caroline looked up to find him staring at the paint brush in his hand. She could not control the shaking his words and touch had caused her.

Without looking back at her, he added softly, "don't let it come to that."

This time, it was Caroline who stormed away.

-THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES-

After spending all day and night tossing and turning in her bed, Caroline came downstairs the next morning looking far more composed than she felt.

Klaus drank in her image from his spot by the kitchen counter. He had waited all evening for her to come downstairs so he could distract her away from their earlier conversation. Knowing he unsettled her to the point that she couldn't bear to be around him left him feeling restless.

Ever since their first conversation on her birthday, he had amused her and annoyed her with equal measure. She had been wary of him and intrigued by him in turns. He read it all in her face. The only time he had ever scared her was when he felt the suffocating effects of his siblings being daggered and accused her of being the culprit. As angry as he was, he had let her go, not liking the look of fear on her face.

He had seen it again yesterday and had been on edge since. _Stop it! _He admonished himself. _This is what you want! Her fear will keep her from doing anything else that will endear her to you. It will keep her from conspiring against you._

As he went through this internal struggle, Caroline placed the purse she held on the counter and went around him to grab a blood bag from the fridge. Gulping down the blood, she turned to look at Klaus.

"What? No live meat today?" she asked, glancing at the mug in his hand.

"Not in the mood for mouthy women," he replied, staring into his cup of blood.

Tossing the finished blood bag in the trash, Caroline rolled her eyes behind him. "Well, lucky for you, I'm out," she said walking back to pick up her purse.

As she slid her purse over her shoulder, Klaus sped over to grasp her arms. "Where do you think you're going? Did we not discuss this yesterday? You are not going anywhere."

Frustrated beyond belief, she tried to shake her arm free, but his grip remained firm. "Klaus, it's Monday!" At his blank look, she continued, "as in I have school."

"Human restrictions. Need I remind you? You're not human! You can learn more wandering the world than you can in a classroom."

Continuing to struggle against his hold, she countered, "as tempting as that is, let me inform you I didn't want to be a vampire. That's something that happened to me and I've accepted it. But going through the motions of human life? Like going to school and graduating? That's something I _want. _Don't take that from me."

Klaus contemplated her words. She wanted this. Day by day, with each disappointing evening they spent eyeing each other warily, he had seen her light slowly diminish. But here, today, in his hands the light was fighting its way back.

He loosened his hold and pushed the purse strap more securely over her shoulder. "You _will_ be back. Plot anything against me and I promise you it won't end well."

It hurt her that he still felt the need to compel her to return, but she put it aside in favor of the joy she felt at being let out at all.

She hid her smile as she turned to walk out the door, but Klaus saw the reflection of it in her eyes. He didn't like the pleasure he felt seeing it, so he couldn't resist adding, "I'd steer clear of Tyler, if I were you. The boy seems a bit unstable these days. Wouldn't want you to get hurt."

_As if you have no idea why he'd be that way, _Caroline thought to herself as she walked to the door.

Before she could reach the handle, the door swung open.

"Well, what have we here?" the intruder remarked. "Big brother is shacking up with a baby vampire."

Wanting to hide the fear of seeing Kol standing 3 feet away from her, Caroline remarked, "Oh, look who it is: The Original douche. I'd stay and chat, but I'd rather drive a stake through my heart."

She moved to walk past him, but Kol was faster. With a vise-like grip on her wrist, he pulled her roughly to him. "Not so fast, darling."

"_Kol_," Klaus breathed menacingly.

Keeping his hold on Caroline, Kol looked up to see Klaus standing a few feet away, his fury evident in his demeanor.

"Hello, Klaus. Heard you went back to your daggering ways. Came to have a little chat. Didn't expect to see this pretty thing walking out of here."

Kol glanced at her in appreciation. "Not surprised though. You always find a way to get what you want, and we all know how much you've wanted this one. You have quite a way with singling out beauty."

"Let her go," Klaus demanded calmly. He was barely restraining himself from lunging at Kol as he rubbed his face in her hair.

Kol pulled back from Caroline without releasing her. "Come on, brother! We've never had a problem sharing before."

Caroline shivered in disgust at the same time Klaus sped over to physically detach Kol's hand from her arm. She took a step back and watched as Klaus crushed Kol's hand until they all heard multiple bones fracture.

Keeping his grip and glare on Kol, Klaus commanded Caroline. "Leave, Caroline."

Caroline didn't need to be told twice. She sped out the door without another glance.

-THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES-

The school was empty when Caroline arrived. Being alone with Klaus the entire weekend made her crave the company of her friends. She opened her locker and was surprised at the relief she felt at finding everything the way she had left it. _Klaus has invaded every part of my life. Glad to see some things are still the same._

She pulled her phone out and texted her friends that she's at school and in desperate need of quality friend-time. "So.. get.. your..butts.. over here… now," she muttered as she tapped out the words.

Hitting send and closing her locker, Caroline turned and bumped into a body. "Hello, Caroline," Rebekah said as Caroline gasped in surprise.

"Seriously? You, too? I've had enough of your family to last me a lifetime so if you'd excuse me, I have a life I'd like to get back to for the next few hours," Caroline said as she moved to walk away.

"In a minute," Rebekah said as she grabbed her around the neck from behind.

Caroline fought against Rebekah's headlock but to no avail. "I need you to give Stefan a message for me. Let him know it isn't wise to spurn old lovers. Hell hath no fury and all."

And with that Caroline felt her neck snap.

And then she felt nothing.

-THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES-

"What are you doing here, Kol?" Klaus demanded as he released his hold on Kol's now mangled hand.

Kol walked over to the sitting room, where he knew he'd find brandy. He took a swig before turning back to Klaus.

"Relax, brother," Kol said looking down at his rapidly mending hand. "I'm not here to steal your girl. Our little sister actually called me. Said you'd manhandled her. I think it hurt her feelings."

"Then why isn't she here?" Klaus asked, eyeing Kol with suspicion, arms crossed against his chest. "Are you doing her dirty work now?"

Flexing his hand as it finished healing, Kol looked up at Klaus and took another drink from the brandy bottle. "Rebekah is a little preoccupied at the moment. Seems you weren't the only one to betray her. She's out extracting her vengeance as we speak."

Klaus's arms dropped to his side as he realized the implications of Kol's words. "Stefan…" He whispered.

"Yes, your precious little ripper. Seems she quite fancied him, but what's done is done. Rebekah will have her way with him. She has quite the talent for wrapping us men around her finger," Kol smirked.

Klaus felt an overwhelming concern for Caroline, knowing she would have found a way to be around Stefan by now, but didn't want to let Kol know the extent of it.

"I don't care what Rebekah does, but if she gets in the way of my plans I will take care of her myself. A dagger in the heart will be the least of her worries."

Klaus turned to walk out the door, but Kol was there in a flash.

"Where are you going, Niklaus? Let's play a game, shall we?"

-THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES-

"Caroline? Caroline. Wake up!"

Caroline felt a hand slip under her sore neck, followed by the warmth of being tucked against a firm chest.

"What…?" she mumbled faintly, trying to open her eyes.

As the strength came back into her body her eyes fluttered open to stare into Stefan's concerned gaze.

"Stefan… what..?"

He lifted his hand to push the hair out of her eyes. "I don't know.. I got your text and came as soon as I could. I'd been worried about you all weekend. Who did this to you?"

Caroline blinked as she remembered. Pulling herself out of the comfort of Stefan's embrace she leaned against the lockers. "Rebekah."

Annoyed now that she remembered, Caroline pouted as she looked back up at Stefan. "You know, I'm getting really tired of your psycho exes killing me to give you messages. The saying is '_don't_ kill the messenger!'"

Stefan was glad that Caroline had her humor back but was surprised to hear Rebekah was behind this. "Rebekah, did this to you?"

"Yeah, and she wasn't gentle about it either. That wannabe-prom queen is pretty ticked at you right now."

"She has every right to be. I played on her emotions. She was confiding in me about her one epic love. I betrayed her." Stefan stood up to pace up and down the still empty hallway. "She's going to be out for blood."

She opened her mouth to comment, but at the same time she heard someone call out, "Caroline…"

Turning her head to the left she saw Elena standing there looking back and forth between her and Stefan. As Stefan turned around to face Elena, it was as if she wasn't even there anymore. Caroline's heart hurt for her two best friends.

Right when Caroline was about to make excuses to leave the two alone so they could talk, Stefan sped away without another word. Disappointment weighed heavy on both girls, but they put it aside to embrace each other.

Two girls, caught in difficult situations, hugged out their distress at the way their lives were turning out.

Keeping her cheek on Caroline's shoulder, Elena asked, "Klaus took you?"

Caroline sighed and answered, "It's complicated. I can't even say that I know what I'm doing, because I don't. But I don't really have a choice right now."

Her situation wasn't exactly ideal, but after the weekend she had, Klaus and his family problems were the last thing she wanted to talk about. Today was about her real life, not Klaus-land.

Pulling away from Elena, Caroline brought up the one thing she wanted to talk about most but hadn't gotten the opportunity since Elena left for the lake house. "Elena, look, about Stefan.. he's hurting really bad right now…"

Elena stepped back , running her hands though her hair in frustration. "You think I don't know that? I still love him, but I'm just not _in love_ with him right now. Why can't he understand that? And why are you defending him? You're supposed to be _my_ friend!"

Caroline's mouth dropped open. "I love you, Elena. I do. But when I turned into a vampire Stefan was the one to make sure I survived. He helped me more than anyone ever has, more than anyone ever could. If I've made it alive this long it's because of Stefan. He was there for me when I needed help the most. I'm not going to abandon him now. Not when he has no one else.

"And just because you can't feel the way it was between you two, doesn't mean I don't remember. You broke his heart, Elena. I'm just making sure you haven't broken him as well."

Elena's frustration grew and she slammed her hand back against the locker she had been leaning on. "Do you think I don't know that? I'm not out to hurt him, but the heart wants what it wants!"

Caroline shook her head. "No. The _sire bond_ makes you want what you want. That's not your heart Elena. _Stefan_ is your heart."

Her piece said, Caroline walked away feeling her own heart break at the remnants of her old friend inside a hypnotized vampire.

She sat on a bench until she saw Matt and Bonnie pull into the school. She ran and hugged her friends, letting her tears fall at the overwhelming sadness of the past week.

-THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES-

"Move out of the way, Kol, or you will be joining our sister in agony," Klaus threatened.

"Don't pick on the baby, big brother. Rebekah can't help it. You have to indulge her in her twisted idea of sport. She finds the Salvatores to be quite amusing," Kol explained.

Klaus glared at Kol blocking his way. Crushing his hand apparently wasn't warning enough to not piss him off.

"Don't make excuses for me, Kol. I can speak for myself, thank you very much."

Both men looked around to find Rebekah seated on the couch. "Hello, Nik."

-THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES-

Caroline had made it through the day with minimal fuss. She wanted it to feel like a normal day in her not-so-normal life. Matt was at her side all day, but Bonnie alternated between her and Elena when she found out about their altercation earlier. _High school drama, supernatural drama… What's the difference? _

Walking through the now empty parking lot well after school, Caroline looked up to see Tyler standing in her way. Here was the boy she was dying to see, but the boy was evidently still avoiding her. "Tyler.."

"Caroline. Hear you've moved in with Klaus," Tyler said with disgust.

Caroline furiously shook her head, not wanting him to think badly of her. "No… no, no, no! it's not like that. Tyler, I swear it's still you. I'm doing this for you." She needed him to understand.

"Save it, Care. I'm so done with you and your friends. Rebekah came to see me. Seems we have common enemies."

Caroline's eyes grew wide at this. "Tyler, no! She's dangerous. She's crazy! She snapped my neck this morning!"

Tyler looked her over. "You seem fine, now. Don't worry. It's not you we're after. This is about Klaus and Stefan."

Caroline got a sense of foreboding at his words. "What are you planning, Tyler?"

"It doesn't involve you. I'm just warning you to stay out of our way. I can't guarantee Rebekah's actions if you try to stop us. And as long as she's on my side, I'm not going to stop her."

Caroline's eyes filled up with tears as he walked away. She felt herself begin to crumble when she heard a sound to her right.

"Caroline…"

She turned to see the sad look on Stefan's face. He walked up to her and tucked her in his embrace as she let the tears of her breaking heart fall freely. She was there for him when his relationship fell apart. There was no way he'd abandon her when life dealt her the same blow.

She had no idea how long they stood there with him murmuring soothing words in her ear, but eventually she pulled back saying "it's okay. I'm fine… I'll be okay."

Stefan studied her heartbroken eyes. "I know you will. You're one of the strongest girls I've ever known. Lexi had nothing on you." He gave her the affirmation he knew she needed.

Caroline nodded knowing he was trying to give her strength. Wanting to get her mind off Tyler, she asked, "where were you all day?"

"I went to find something for you," he said pulling something out of the pocket inside his jacket.

"Vervain?" Caroline asked looking at the bundled herbs.

Handing the bunch to her he explained, "yeah. The council burned up the town's supply, so I asked around. There is a farm a few hours away from here. Most of their herbs are failing. I took all they had. It's not much but it's enough to provide you with _some _form of protection"

Caroline considered this. "I can't drink it… Klaus is suspicious. He might just test my blood to be sure."

Stefan had already thought of this. "No, but you can wear it. Put it in a necklace or something. Just make sure you have it on you at all times. It'll make me feel better knowing that you have even the smallest defense against him."

Looking up at the worry in his eyes, she grabbed his hand and assured him, "don't worry so much about me. Klaus hasn't hurt me, yet."

Letting him go, she took a step back. "He compelled me to return so I have to go back, but take care of yourself, Stefan. I can handle Klaus," she said with more conviction than she felt.

With one last smile filled with false hope, Caroline turned to walk back to Klaus's house.

When she got there, she was surprised to see her car in the driveway. Curious to see what had happened with Kol, and just the tiniest bit afraid, Caroline took a deep breath and opened the front door.

Before she could take a single step inside, she was grabbed roughly and spun around till her back was violently shoved against the foyer wall. With her eyes closed against the pain, she felt her right hand being held against the wall next to her face as her left hand came to rest on the arm of the person squeezing her throat.

Opening her eyes in shock, she gasped at the barely restrained fury in Klaus's eyes.

**This chapter just would not end! I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it :)**

**Many of you had been asking about Caroline interacting with the rest of the gang, and I didn't want to spoil this chapter so I stayed mum. I hope it lived up to your expectations! Unfortunately, Caroline interacting with others usually means less Klaus :/ Next chapter will have more of just the two of them, though :)**

**As for the spin-off... I will _never_ complain about more Joseph Morgan, but I'll reserve my judgment until I see it.**

**Now, a bit of bad news... as much as I enjoy posting on Wednesdays as a nice mid-week treat, my semester is starting :( can't guarantee regular updates, but as long as I keep getting review notifications, I won't forget about this story completely! **

**So please, review! Thank you!**


	5. Don't Let Go

**I will explain myself, I swear. Read first, please! Also, I was listening to _Dance So Good_ by WAKEY!WAKEY! on repeat while writing this so maybe that's where the mood came from :/**

_"You come around and the armor falls,_

_Pierce the room like a canon ball._

_Now all we know is don't let go..."_

"Klaus… what..?" Caroline stuttered through the strangling hold Klaus had against her throat. "Ahh..let… go!"

Tightening his grip, Klaus moved in closer to her so that she was sandwiched between the wall and the hard planes of his body. Caroline continued in her futile attempts at pulling her hand out of his grip, while using her free hand to beat the arm pinning her to the wall. Moving his face in closer to her, he snarled, "_where have you been?!_"

Caroline saw his eyes glow gold, a sure sign that his anger was triggering his werewolf side. Fear coursed through her as she pleaded, "school! Klaus, please… you're.. hurting me!"

Klaus saw the same horror in her eyes that he had cursed himself all night for causing. Letting go of her hand and throat, Klaus slammed his palms on the wall on either sides of her face, causing her to flinch. "You're lying to me, Caroline! School ended an hour ago. You should have been here. _What kept you?!_"

_Seriously? Was that all?_ Giving him a disgusted look she pushed against his chest, but he didn't budge. "Ugh. You compelled me to return- total lack of trust, by the way- yet, you didn't specify when. So I… dawdled," she shrugged.

Klaus narrowed his eyes. "Dawdled?"

Going on the defensive, she pushed against him again, this time getting an inch of breathing space between herself and his body. "Yes! Dawdled! I re-organized my locker, talked to some of the girls on the squad. I even read a few chapters for my history homework. Wasn't exactly relishing coming back here…" she explained looking down.

Klaus stared at her intently. He hated that coming back to him felt like torture to her. _If only she could find an ounce of pleasure in my company as I do in hers… _

Pulling his right hand away from the wall, he tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, watching his fingers continue on their way down the side of her neck and down her arm, stopping only to wrap around her wrist. Hearing her breathing hitch he looked back into her eyes. "What aren't you telling me, love?" he whispered.

Even without compulsion, his steady gaze was potent. With only the slightest feeling of regret, she confessed, "I saw Tyler…. And Stefan."

Hearing Stefan's name wasn't a surprise. He had surmised as much. Tyler was more of a persona non grata. "Tyler? What did he have to say to you? I thought you two ended things for good this time."

Glaring at him, she answered, "We never actually ended things. You brought me here right before we could fix whatever was going wrong. And now it's even worse! The longer I stay here the worse this situation gets! So just… I don't know.. kiss me and get it over with! We'll know once and for all if what you feel is just your run-of-the-mill crush or… something else…"

A slow smile spread on his lips until she could see the clear indents of his dimples. "I believe I already kissed you- granted it wasn't the body I would have preferred having you ravish- but I don't believe it made much of a difference in your allure to me."

Rubbing his thumb on the pulse-point on her wrist, he said with a smirk, "but if you want a replay, this time in a more desirable body, I'd be more than willing to oblige."

Before she could make a snarky reply, Klaus brought the hand he held between their faces. "As much as I know you'd enjoy it, love, I don't think you're ready just yet. When we come together… it'll be an experience like you've never dreamed, not an experiment."

Moving his hand to hold up her index finger, he continued softly while tracing her lips with her finger, "there'll be no turning back after that, Caroline. When I claim something as mine, I never leave it behind for someone else to enjoy. It's either mine or no one's… Now, bite."

Shaking herself out of the trance his words put her in, Caroline stuttered against the finger he pressed against her lips, "Wha-what?"

"Take a bite, sweetheart. I'd do it, but it might be a little painful for you, werewolf venom and all. So _bite,_" he stressed.

Keeping her confused eyes on his, Caroline gently bit into her finger. As soon as she felt the pain of her teeth pierce through her skin, her finger was removed from her mouth.

And then she experienced the most intense pleasure she had ever felt in her life.

Klaus had put her finger in his mouth. She felt his tongue swirl around the tip, swiping at the blood. The veins around his eyes came out with the first taste. And then he sucked… very, very gently.

Caroline's lips parted at the euphoric sensation coursing through her body. Klaus paused to press the tip of his tongue against her skin before he sucked again. He did this three more times, while Caroline's mind swirled in bewilderment at the ecstasy she was feeling.

And all the while, Klaus kept his gaze on Caroline as she kept hers on his mouth.

Just when she thought she would die in this intensity, he stopped. With one last swipe of his tongue, he slowly removed the finger from his mouth and held her hand pressed between their chests. Knowing she was still descending from the high she had reached, Klaus gave her a few seconds to collect herself. If he was being honest, he knew he had to get his mind back on track as well. He had completely forgotten himself in the look of bliss on her face and the heavenly taste of her blood in his mouth.

"Quite the trip, huh, sweetheart?" he asked with his trademark smirk, though Caroline saw a hidden softness in his eyes that she had only seen a handful of times with him. It always threw her for a loop when she saw something so human in the oldest monster known to mankind.

"Wh.. why?" she asked softly in her confusion.

Looking down at their still joined hands, he answered, "vervain. I smelled it on you." Bringing his eyes up to hers, he continued, "call it the perks of my werewolf side, but I smelled it the second you opened the door. I wanted to know if it was in your system."

Letting go of her hands, Klaus took a step away from her. She instantly missed the warm support his body had supplied to her pleasure-weakened body. Pulling her mind away from that thought she shook her head and looked back at him.

The look of suspicion was back on his face. "Where is it?"

Not bothering to pretend she had no idea what he was talking about, Caroline pulled the wrapped bundle from her purse and handed it to him. "Stefan found it for me."

Taking the herbs, Klaus frowned and muttered, "Stefan… always trying to be the white knight…"

In a huff of frustration, Klaus stomped out the foyer and into the closest sitting room. Caroline followed and watched as he placed the vervain on a cabinet and went through every single cupboard pulling out various bottles of alcohol. He had gathered about fifteen bottles on the table before he dropped on to the couch.

"Are we throwing a party?" Caroline asked from her place in the entryway of the room.

Pouring himself a glass of bourbon, he looked up at her. "This has been… one of the best," he said as his eyes scanned her body from head to toe, "and worst days of my existence. It's been almost a century since the last time, but tonight I intend to get absolutely drunk."

Tossing back the entire glass he poured himself another. "The only problem is, I happen to be a thousand year old hybrid. This is going to take a long time and copious amounts of hard liquor."

Raising his glass, he invited, "join me."

Caroline studied him for a moment as he poured his third glass. Still reeling from the most powerful emotion she had ever felt, Caroline realized drinking would be a great distraction.

Taking off her jacket and throwing it along with her purse next to the vervain bundle, Caroline started to go through his liquor cabinets as well. "If I'm going to do this I'm going to need my liquor of choice… Aha!" she said as she popped back up. "Tequila!"

Finding a box of shot glasses in the cabinet, she brought them to the table he had set up as their makeshift bar. Pouring out all ten shots, Caroline rubbed her hands on her jeans and downed two before looking back at him. "Your turn."

Klaus raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Those bottles must be Rebekah's. I wouldn't drink that stuff."

Downing two more, Caroline placed a shot on front of him. "Don't be a wuss. This is way more fun than what you're drinking."

Klaus just shook his head and chuckled low in his throat. Caroline took another shot and said, "come on, Klaus. Live a little." With a slow smile, she added softly, "I dare you."

Taking in the challenging glint in her eyes, Klaus sat up and grabbed a shot glass. With a salute in her direction, he downed the glass and tossed it to her. Caroline caught it and pushed two more shot glasses towards him.

"And this is how we get drunk in the twenty-first century."

-THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES-

Three hours- and five bottles- later Klaus sat in the armchair by the fireplace he had just lit, while Caroline was sprawled on cushions she arranged on the ground. After having consumed more liquor than a normal body could take, their supernaturally healing bodies made them only a little buzzed.

Holding up an empty bottle, Caroline muttered, "the tequila's all gone."

_Thank goodness,_ Klaus thought as he poured scotch for them both. "Rebekah won't be too happy about that," he said, holding out her glass.

Lifting her hands up in the air, she yelled, "'But why is the rum gone?!'"

Noticing his eyebrow raised in question as she took the glass from his hands, she explained, "Pirates… Of the Caribbean?" Seeing that he still didn't get it, she groaned, "ugh, Klaus. Movie! What's a thousand years worth if you don't take the time to enjoy modern forms of entertainment?"

Klaus let out a low laugh. "Trust me, love, there are far better ways to entertain yourself than staring at a screen for hours… far more people to enjoy than figments of someone else's imagination."

Caroline didn't miss the way his eyes had lingered on her hand. Looking at her now healed finger, she started, "Klaus… did you.."

Hearing her conflicted tone, Klaus looked up from his glass to ask, "Did I what, love?"

Downing her drink for some more liquid courage, she continued, "did you enjoy that? Did you feel…"

Putting his drink aside, Klaus leaned down from his spot on the couch until his face was two feet away from hers. "Did I enjoy the taste of your blood? Did I enjoy seeing the look of complete rapture on your face?"

His soft voice sent thrills through her body. Caroline had the presence of mind to know that what was happening here between them was not good. It was not safe. _Retreat! _her mind yelled at her but she refused to listen.

"I didn't know… I didn't know it could be like that," she said, still in wonder of the feelings that coursed through her when Klaus fed on her. "Is it like that for all vampires?"

"It is. That's why the idea of vampires falling in love with humans is so odd. Humans do not feel with the same intensity we do. It's a pity. When we feed off humans it is to satisfy a hunger. When we feed on our kind… it is to satisfy a deeper ache."

"Did you… did you feel it when I drank from you on my birthday?" irritated now at the thought, she got up and continued, "is that why you're so... attached to me? Because I drank from you?!"

Disgusted, and a little tipsy, Caroline stumbled out of the room and headed upstairs. Lost in her turmoil of thoughts, she took a wrong turn on the second landing. Trying to find her way back, she turned around and saw two French doors.

Curiosity mixed with the courage the alcohol gave her, she opened the doors and walked through them. It led to an outdoor terrace overlooking the woods. Walking further outside, Caroline took in the landscape. Captivated by the view, she didn't hear Klaus come up behind her.

"I picked this place because of the view of the falls. My siblings and I used to play there when we were humans. I'm not overly fond of those memories, but we must remember where we came from to understand what we've become."

Caroline didn't turn from the view, but acknowledged him by answering, "it's beautiful."

"It is."

Caroline turned around at the gravelly tone in his voice. His eyes were on her, studying her as if committing every detail to memory.

"I am not… attached to you because you drank from me. My admiration of you began long before that. I was in awe of you when you stood by your dying boyfriend, knowing there might not be a cure for him. He would have died if we hadn't discovered Elena's blood would be the key. You were… strong that day. Fierce and loyal. All traits one looks for in a companion."

He walked past her to the railing and looked over at the falls. "Remember that I had to cure Elena. She drank from me as well. With her I felt a mild hum of pleasure. With you… it was like an entire chorus. I am not going to pretend it did not make you grow in my esteem, but that was not when this started."

His words confused her already alcohol-addled mind. Walking over to him, she tried to make sense of it all.

"Yeah, but Elena stood by Stefan as well. Even when you took him and changed who he was, Elena stood by him. She held on to hope even as he gave up on himself. She has the same traits when it comes to love."

Tilting his head, he looked at her. "What are you asking me, love?"

With a helpless sigh, she ground out, "I guess what I'm asking is why not her?" She turned so her back was against the rail as she looked at him. "Or just… why me?" she asked in a whisper.

Klaus stared at her for a moment, contemplating his answer. "Elena ran from any confrontation she had with me. She avoided me at all costs. You, on the other hand, came at me with full force. You fought back...y- you questioned me, challenged me… you weren't afraid. You knew me to be the most powerful creature, capable of ending your life in a moment, yet you had the audacity to sass me even as you lay dying."

Pushing off the railing, he stood up straight and asked, "why wouldn't it be you?"

In all of her eighteen years, Caroline had never heard a more eloquent declaration of admiration. _He makes it sound so reasonable. First time in my life, I get told why it's me and not someone else-not Elena- and it has to be the freaking original hybrid… okay, the freaking hot, original hybrid… No! That's the tequila talking. Sober up, Caroline!_

Seeing the conflicted emotions run across her face, Klaus continued, "trust me love, it's as inconvenient to me as it is to you. So let's try to drown it out." Holding out his hand, he asked, "shall we get back to our party?"

Staring at the hesitant smile on his face, Caroline couldn't think of a single reason to refuse.

-THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES-

"Tell me about Tatia," Caroline asked as she lay back on her spot on the ground. Feeling the alcohol release whatever inhibitions she may have had, she decided to take the opportunity to ask all her questions, hoping Klaus was drunk enough to willingly answer.

Pausing in the middle of pouring a drink, he looked over at her. Caroline could have sworn she saw a look of panic cross his face but only for a second. "You told Stefan. He told me," she explained.

Forgoing the whiskey in the glass, Klaus took a long drink straight from the bottle. Handing her the glass, he said, "Tatia was… she was beautiful. Yes, she looked like Elena, but she had a… a certain light about her. She was vivacious. She enjoyed everything about life… especially myself and Elijah."

Caroline sipped her drink as he finished the bottle and grabbed another. "She didn't toy with us… she didn't play us against each other. She loved both of us and could not choose. It-It hurt her more than it did us."

Caroline scoffed. "Yeah, right. I bet she just loved the attention."

Klaus stared at her. "Do not project your feelings for Elena on to someone you do not know. Tatia turned us both away when she felt she was coming between us. It wasn't that she couldn't choose... she just.. refused to. She refused to be the cause of bad blood between brothers. Elena is _nothing_ like her."

Staring into the fire, he continued, "when she turned us away, Elijah and I were on the outs for months. The hostility in our home due to my illegitimacy was magnified. When mother turned us, she used Tatia as the sacrifice... to remove the only thing that ever came between us brothers: love."

While the stoic look on his face never wavered, Caroline heard the tremor in his usually strong voice. It made her want to comfort him. "Klaus…"

He took another deep drink, never looking away from flames. "I do not hold it against her. Love is a weakness. It would have destroyed us. I am glad mother had the foresight to dispose of her. I will never let myself feel that weak for anyone ever again... Eventually Elijah and I moved past our differences. Family... above… all."

_I am not drunk enough for this conversation,_ Caroline thought to herself. Wanting to change the mood, she said, "speaking of your siblings… mind telling me what happened today?! I went three-for-three in the Mikaelson hands-on welcome. I'd ask what was wrong with you guys but we'd be here all year."

Narrowing his eyes, Klaus asked, "did Rebekah hurt you?"

"Uh, yeah. Snapped my neck, actually. All to give Stefan a message. I mean, seriously? She could have just asked!"

A low growl emitted from Klaus's throat as he finished anther bottle. "I knew she'd come after me and Stefan… I thought she was wise enough to know not to touch you."

"Yeah, well, she did. You messed with her pretty bad, so now she's taking it out on the town. I'd suggest you undo whatever it is you did before she hurts someone who doesn't heal like I do."

Klaus looked at her in annoyance. "Rebekah's problem is she's incredibly sensitive. It always leads to her downfall."

Giving a dry laugh, Caroline reached over to grab the bottle in his hands. "She's better off than a guy who refuses to feel anything." She took a drink and shook her head at him. "Turning off your humanity is a cop-out, you know?"

Grabbing the bottle back, he snapped back at her, "And you're still a baby, you know? Live long enough and the switch… fades."

Caroline stared at him as he finished the bottle of whiskey. "What are you talking about?"

Klaus looked away as he opened two more bottles. After a moment he explained, "What I'm saying is… since the day you've met me… all the people I've killed, all the people I've fed off of… I've felt it. I have felt the guilt of every pain I have caused." Looking her dead in the eye so she could see the truth reflected in his, he continued, "and I've still enjoyed the hunt. I wouldn't take back _any of it_… I regret _nothing_."

Her lips parted on a soft intake of breath. Caroline couldn't understand why she still wasn't afraid. She just felt… pity.

Maybe it was because she saw something. Gazing into the eyes that wanted her to see him as the monster he was, so that just maybe she would turn him away for good this time… take away any kindness or understanding she had ever shown him, she saw the pain he tried so hard to hide. She saw the torment his actions caused him.

"I don't believe you," she whispered, her eyes echoing in sadness.

Moving close enough to touch his hand, Caroline said, "you feel it. You feel everything. And you regret it… even if it's only for the fact that you can't erase the guilt that comes with it."

Klaus was stunned. _How does she see more than everyone else? _Not wanting to give her an advantage over him, Klaus closed off all thoughts of humanity she had invoked. Seeing his face shut down from the war of emotions her words had caused, Caroline sighed in defeat. Removing her hand from his, she got up. "It's late. I'm going to bed. Thanks for the… drinks."

Klaus watched her go. He had seen disappointment on her face throughout the week, but for some reason the look on her face as she walked away right then was unbearable to him.

Caroline had reached the top of the stairs when she heard him call her name.

"Caroline…"

She stopped mid-step but didn't turn around, not wanting him to see the unshed tears of frustration in her eyes. Hearing him climb the stairs, Caroline collected herself. Giving her space, Klaus stopped behind her and held something out to her over her shoulder.

Curious, Caroline turned around. "What's this?" she asked taking a wrapped bundle from his hands.

Klaus studied her face, wondering if he was making a mistake. "It's trust."

Confused more than ever, Caroline opened the bundle. "Vervain? You're giving this back to me?" she asked looking up at him in bewilderment.

Not able to convey his honesty in words, he stared at her, hoping she would see it in his eyes the way she had seen the pain nobody else had seen in all of his thousand years. "You won't need it against me."

Seeing that rare vulnerable look on his face softened something inside her. Hesitant to trust the man who had caused her friends so much misery, she asked softly, "then why?"

"My siblings are… angry. They came to tell me they're coming after me and will stop at nothing." Unsure of how to continue, Klaus looked down. "I'm not afraid for myself. I'm afraid for you, love. It would be their biggest mistake to touch you, but I wouldn't put it past them."

Caroline stared in bafflement as he looked up cautiously. At a loss for words, she only said, "thank you," hoping it was enough.

Klaus gave a single nod in acknowledgment. "Good-night, Caroline."

Caroline nodded back. "Good-night, Klaus."

But it wasn't a good night. As Klaus stayed up to clean-up the wreckage that was his liquor supply, Caroline spent the night thinking about the Original Monster who might not be such a monster after all.

**So I don't know how I feel about this chapter. I have the entire story planned, but after writing this I'm not sure if I should continue :/ This chapter turned into something different than what I had planned, and I'm not sure if that's a good thing. I just wanted a chapter where they could build a relationship, an understanding, but I don't know if it came out right.**

**Also, school started this week so I'm really overwhelmed with balancing all of this. I'll only continue if you all enjoyed it, otherwise I'm not sure if it's worth the effort. So please, please let me know what you think! Do you like it, do you hate it? What was your favorite part? What did you feel was wrong?**

**In case this is my last update, I want to thank everyone who has reviewed and brightened my day :) Thank you to champagnekiss, maevelin, Bullet2tm, MeLoveDolphins, IgnitingFireworks, Quicklove202, theresa, Guest, justine, Katie, anie, sweetandlow1012, Mystery Girl3, LeMadeline, Ktclaire99, Lark, Guest, nicaha23, VLOrfne, Princess Aziza, epic sweetness712, moon2012, Cookie-chan91, Rianeliza, angel1725, AgathaN, Sadsunflowers, Lornaa, HelloCutePanda, Dramatic Melody, Sam0728, Originals-Klaroline, LightFiction, and bookworm7117. Hope I haven't missed anyone! One of you had actually guessed where I was taking this, so kudos for thinking ahead!**

**Read+like= review, please!**

**Read+dislike= review, please?**


	6. I'll Never Be the Same

**You guys are absolutely crazy-awesome, you know that? All those reviews for one chapter?! I need to say thank you:**

**Twistz of Doom, Mystery Girl3, Sadsunflowers, Sam0728, OKBooey31, HelloCutePanda, AGoodOmen, Angel, Rianeliza, charles wasabi, justine, ragestine, Guest, Hayley, moon2012, bookworm7117, UniverseInsideofYourHeart, livingdeadblondegirl, Borzoi, Guest, BarbieRachel, and MJTE**

**this one's for you :)**

_"And I never saw you coming,_

_And I'll never be the same..."_

Caroline woke up the next morning with a gasping breath. Her subconscious had decided to torture her by replaying the lascivious moment that took place the evening before, when Klaus had her pressed against the wall as he drank from her. Only this time they didn't stop until she had spun him to the wall and returned the favor.

Absentmindedly, Caroline rubbed the finger he had tasted as she thought back to the night before. _It wasn't technically cheating, right? I mean… I didn't know I'd feel- Okay, let's admit it- So. Damn. Good._ _when he fed on me. It never would have happened otherwise._

Not liking the doubt that lingered in her mind, Caroline shook her head. _Whatever. It's not like Tyler cares what I do anymore… or who I do it with._

Avoiding the tears that were bound to come with thoughts of Tyler, Caroline got up and got ready for school. As she curled her hair, she found herself hoping Klaus wouldn't stop her after the events of the previous day.

Remembering that he gave her back the vervain as a sign of trust, Caroline made her way downstairs with an air of confidence that was complete and utter bullshit. Hesitating outside the kitchen, she took a deep, bracing breath and walked in as if the tumultuous events of last night never happened.

Klaus eyed her warily as she breezed past him to the fridge to grab a blood bag from her diminishing supply. After disposing of all the bottles they had gone through last night, Klaus stayed up contemplating just what he was going to do with this blonde beauty that was invading even the most closed off recesses of his mind.

_The whole idea behind bringing her here was to finally get her out of my system. If anything, she has become even more embedded into my life. This is not what I planned… well, no matter. Adjustments can be made. Just need to tell her 'Caroline, this has been a pleasure, but-'_

"Get a TV" she interrupted his thoughts.

"Pardon?" he asked, bringing himself back to the present.

"_A TV_, Klaus. If I'm going to stay here, I need a TV. And cable. I will not let even the evilest of beings keep me from my reality television," she declared, trying to break the tension from the night before.

Anticipating his saying something that would take away from the honesty of the past night, Caroline didn't give him a chance to reply. "And it better be set-up by the time I get back from school!"

Knowing she had confused him with her demands, she turned to walk out of the room before he could get his bearings again.

Not quick enough.

"Caroline," he called from behind her as she reached the door.

Caroline winced, knowing that whatever would follow would undo the progress they had made in their tentative friendship. "Don't, Klaus," she pleaded without turning around.

"Excuse me?"

Turning around with a sigh, she explained softly, "even with all the forces working against… this… us… it was good last night. Don't say something to ruin that."

Klaus paused at the worry on her face. He didn't expect the night to mean as much to her as it did to him. Not a single being in all his years had ever made him as uncertain about himself as this one particular girl. She made his mind do a one-eighty in the space of the two minutes he spent with her.

"Caroline," he started, trying to put her mind at ease, "I wasn't going to do that."

Crossing her arms against her chest, she raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Weren't you?"

_This girl…_ he thought to himself as he raised a hesitant finger to smooth down the eyebrow. "Don't read me so well, love," he said in a low voice.

Caroline couldn't pull away from the hypnotizing hold his eyes had on her. "I have something for you," he said pulling a vial out from his pocket. "I took a bit of your vervain yesterday. Fixed it for you to drink… My siblings are out there, and they have an agenda," he explained. "Wouldn't be wise for me to leave you without protection."

Caroline took the small bottle from his hands and looked up at him, entirely confused by this man. _He's supposed to be evil, but there he goes again… taking care of me._ Staring at the vervain in her hands, she muttered to herself, "you confuse the hell out of me."

Klaus gave a dry laugh as he lifted the hand with the bottle. "That makes us even then, sweetheart, because you confuse the hell out of _me_. Now drink up."

Bringing her eyes back to his, she grimaced. "This would go better with a shot of tequila."

"I'll be sure to stock up on that while you're gone," he said with an eye roll.

Taking a deep breath, Caroline downed the vervain and closed her eyes as the herb warred with her body. Gasping at the feel of her insides being burned, Caroline doubled over in pain. _I'd forgotten how excruciating this was!_

As her body worked through the final tremors of discomfort, Caroline opened her eyes to see she had collapsed against Klaus's chest in her agony. He was holding her up with one arm, while she had a death grip on the other. Seeing the concern in his eyes at her discomfort, Caroline pulled away and whispered, "thank you."

Klaus nodded, still upset that she had to resort to this due to his siblings. _Not for long. If they dare come anywhere near her, I will drop their daggered body into the Atlantic without a second's hesitation._

"I better get going," Caroline said, breaking eye contact.

Knowing she felt vulnerable and wanting her to feel in control again, Klaus opened the door for her. "Enjoy adolescence while it lasts," he couldn't resist teasing her.

Appreciating the escape he was providing from feeling so exposed, Caroline gave him the same respect and assured him, "I'll see you tonight."

Before she could walk past him, Klaus stuck out his arm and stopped her. When she turned her head to look at him, he opened the hand he had stuck out. On his finger dangled her key chain.

"Your chariot awaits," he said with a smug smirk.

Caroline scoffed, trying to hide a smile. "I'm not going to thank you for bringing me my car. I should have had it all along."

Klaus shook his head, his smirk in place. "Wasn't expecting you to, love."

Enjoying their banter, Caroline laughed as she walked out the door and to her car. Starting the engine, she pondered over the feeling of security she felt knowing his eyes stayed on her as she pulled away from his house.

Lost in her thoughts, she wasn't able to break in time to avoid hitting the person that had walked out in the middle of the road a few miles down. _Oh, my God! What… _As her car finally came to a stop, Caroline put her car in park. Before she could open her door and get out, she looked over as she heard the passenger door open.

"Hello, darling. I think it's time we have a little chat without big brother interrupting."

"Kol…" Caroline breathed in disbelief.

Kol closed the door and got comfortable in the passenger seat. "I'm in the mood for a long drive, sweetheart. Let's take the scenic route."

Regaining her senses, Caroline shouted, "are you insane?! Why the hell would you walk out in the middle of the road? I thought I killed someone!"

"I've spent years in a box, Caroline. What's the point of living if you don't live on the edge? Now, drive."

"I'm not going anywhere with you, you-"

"Lunatic?" Kol provided. "It's my sister's term of endearment. Borrow it if you want, just so long as you drive," he said, staring her down.

"And if I refuse?"

Letting what Caroline was now proclaiming as the Mikaelson smirk spread across his face, he replied, "then I get the pleasure of bodily moving you to the passenger side while I take the wheel. I should warn you though. I haven't had the time to actually learn how to maneuver these contraptions. Been too busy lying in a box, only to come out and help my siblings wreak havoc upon you and your friends. Your choice."

Through clenched teeth, Caroline groaned in annoyance. "Fine," she said, starting the engine. "Where are we going?"

-THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES-

When Caroline made it back that night, all she wanted to do was collapse on the nearest available surface. _Feels so good to be home. _

_Home… when did this start feeling like home?_ She paused in the middle of the foyer startled at her feelings.

"Everything all right, love?"

She looked up to see Klaus leaning against the entryway to his sitting room, his arms folded across his chest. With the events of the night before and today with Kol, Caroline wanted to cry with relief at the sight of Klaus looking at her with patience and concern.

"No. Everything is not okay," she said as she moved towards the stairs. She didn't want to talk about it. All she wanted was a hot bath and her bed.

Klaus stopped her on the first step. Turning her around with one hand, he gazed into her eyes trying to find the answers behind her upset state. "Caroline… what's wrong?"

Shrugging his hand off her shoulder, she replied in aggravation, "I don't want to talk about it!"

Rage raced through his blood at his next thought. "Was it Tyler? Did he-"

Caroline scoffed in annoyance and climbed another step to put some space between them. "It wasn't Tyler, Klaus. You really need to get over your weird rivalry with him. I said I don't want to talk about it, can't you understand that?"

Although he was fuming inside with the thought of anyone hurting Caroline enough to dim the light that shone in her eyes, Klaus had come to learn when she just needed space.

"As you wish, Caroline." He could give her space… but on his terms. "Why don't you go upstairs, freshen up. But then I need you to come back down. There's something I need to show you."

Wanting nothing more than to lose herself in sleep and forget about her day, Caroline nodded in acceptance, knowing this was the best he could offer her.

Caroline made her way upstairs and into her room. Leaving a trail of clothes on her way, she got into the shower stall and collapsed against the wall, hoping to drown her cries out with the sound of the shower spray.

Klaus sat on the stairs and listened in bewilderment to the sounds of Caroline's sobs. _What happened to her? She seemed… content when she left this morning…_

Needing answers, Klaus pulled out his phone and made a call.

"Klaus," came the annoyed response.

"What the hell happened to her?" Klaus said in a quiet fury.

"What are you talking about?"

"I'm talking about Caroline!"

"How the hell should I know when you keep her locked up in the dungeon you call home?"

"Stefan, I am asking you one last time before I-"

"Before you what, Klaus?" Stefan shot back irritated. "Who are you going to threaten to hurt now? Damon? Elena? Here's a news flash: I don't really care anymore. Do to them whatever the hell you wish. The only person that means anything to me is with you. And I don't really think you have the balls to hurt her."

Klaus clenched his teeth, unable to refute Stefan's claim. "But if you do… I swear to God, Klaus, I will come stake you myself. I don't care if I- or anyone else- dies right along with you."

Ignoring the threat, Klaus asked one last time, "So you didn't see her today?"

"No. Wait a minute… you don't know where she is? Is she-"

"She's here," Klaus stopped him before he could begin a new tirade. Hearing the shower turn off he quickly said, "she's safe. I'll call you later."

He had started a comforting fire in the fireplace by the time she made her way down. Watching her get comfortable on the couch, Klaus stayed quiet, letting her set the tone for the rest of the evening.

Caroline chewed her lip as she avoided looking into Klaus's questioning eyes. She was grateful that he didn't instantly start asking questions to satisfy his curiosity as she knew he was itching to.

Looking away from him, Caroline noticed the flat screen that hung above the fireplace. _How did I not notice that when I walked in?_

"You got the TV…"

Klaus looked up at the screen. Letting her avoid the subject, he answered, "surprise."

Caroline hadn't expected him to actually give in to her demands. "This is what you wanted to show me?"

Gauging her mood to be precarious at best, Klaus let his questions at her distraught state go. Instead, he head back to his liquor cabinet and poured them both a drink.

"I went out. Restocked the bar. Picked up the television set. Apparently, it's preposterous to expect them to install cable on a moment's notice. Since it's difficult to compel over the phone, I went over to your mother's. Picked up your collection of films," he said pointing to a box next to the fireplace.

Caroline absorbed all this as she stared at the box. "You went to my mother's?" she asked, dumbfounded.

He handed her a glass and went to crouch by the box. "Yes. She asked about you… you should call her," he said with a nonchalance he really didn't feel as he rummaged through the box.

Confused didn't begin to describe her state of mind. "You want me to call my mother?" she repeated.

Klaus growled, annoyed at himself for even bringing it up. "If you want. It seemed like she misses you. She cares… which is more than can be said for some mothers," he muttered.

There, in that moment, Caroline got another glimpse at what made this man tick. She knew his father made him feel like he wasn't deserving of love, but now it seemed as if his mother played the same game with him. _That's why he feels the sire bond is important. He doesn't think anyone will love him otherwise._

Wanting to tell him that wasn't the case she started, "Klaus-"

"So what shall we watch?" he interrupted.

Understanding he didn't want to discuss this at the moment, Caroline gave him the same courtesy he had given her and allowed him to switch subjects. "I don't really care. I love them all. That's why I bought them. You can pick."

"Well, I haven't seen any. Quite the collection you have here. And they're all categorized and alphabetized…"

She could see his eyebrows raised in what was she was going to assume was admiration. "Yeah, well… I'm a little OCD."

"Neurotic, I believe is the term Tyler had used," he said glancing up at her.

"He wouldn't be the first," Caroline muttered gulping down her drink.

Shifting his body to fully face her, he tilted his head and smiled at her. "See, that's what I like about you, Caroline. You are who you are. You don't make excuses. In fact, you take pride in aspects of yourself that others may consider faults. It's… refreshing."

Having gone through years of people teasing her about her flaws, she didn't know what to make of Klaus commending her for them.

_He understands me… in a way no one ever has. But seriously?! Why does it have to be him?_

"I know what I want to watch," she said, changing the subject. "Go ahead, have a seat. I'll set it up… that is… if you really want to watch."

Klaus wasn't going anywhere. He still wanted answers as to why she had been crying.

Caroline set up the movie and joined him on the couch. She watched the movie begin as Klaus watched her get comfortable with her bare feet curled up underneath her. He quickly turned his head as she glanced at him.

Surprised at what he saw on the screen, he turned to look back at her. "Animation? We're watching an animated film?"

Glaring at him in return, she said "Beauty and the Beast! It's a classic." With a saccharine smile she added, "kind of like you."

Shaking his head at her amusement, Klaus accepted his fate and settled in to watch the tale unfold.

Twenty minutes into the movie, he was completely riveted.

Caroline watched him as he became absorbed in the story. His face mirrored pity and scorn for the beast, yet softened at the girl's plight.

_He can love. He has it in him. I mean, he certainly loves his siblings… Though, he did keep them daggered for centuries… Point is he still kept them when he could have easily drowned them in cement or the Atlantic. _

Acknowledging the humanity that still lurked somewhere inside of him was one hurdle Caroline had gotten over. The next one was a little tougher: deciding how she felt about him.

"_Come, Caroline. It's just us friends. Tell me how my brother truly makes you feel," Kol had prodded her._

"_Go to hell, Kol," she spat back._

_Having driven around for close to two hours made Caroline testy. She was seated on a stool at a bar located on the state border. The place was a dive in a two-bit town. _A thousand years and this guy couldn't develop taste? _Caroline thought to herself as she spun around on the barstool. _

"_Probably will, sweetheart," Kol replied. "But not for a while. Till then, why don't you divulge to me all the horrors Klaus has bestowed upon you. I'm sure by now you've deduced that crazy runs in the family," he said running a finger down her arm that rested on the bar. _

_Caroline pulled her arm away in disgust. "Let's get one thing straight, I may be here under duress, but if you touch me one more time, I _will_ slap you. And I won't be gentle about it," she threatened._

_Kol's smile only got bigger. He leaned in to her until she could feel his breath on her cheek and whispered, "don't tease me, darling."_

_Caroline shivered. _The guy is seriously hot, but oh, so creepy._ Luckily, she was saved from being alone with him any longer._

"_Leave her alone, Kol." Rebekah walked in, clearly as out of place in this dump as Caroline felt. "She's way out of your league. Out of Nik's league, too, but he's always chased after what he can't have. The allure of the unattainable is too much for him to resist. He wants to prove nothing is out of his reach."_

_Rebekah walked behind the bar and grabbed a bottle for herself. "Ignore Kol. I don't care what you feel for my brother. I'm here to tell you we're on your side."_

_Caroline scoffed. "Oh, is that right? Is that why you snapped my neck yesterday?"_

_Rebekah shrugged, not apologizing. "I'm an impulsive sort. Did what felt good at the time. Let's move on, shall we?" _

_Leaning over the bar toward Caroline, she continued, "you must want to be rid of Nik's annoying presence in your life. He's a nuisance to you and your friends. To me as well. So rest assured, we're on the same side."_

_Everything Rebekah said made sense in her head, but Caroline's heart wanted to reject the claims. "What do you have in mind?" she asked instead._

_Smiling in victory, Rebekah said, "glad to see you're on board. What I want is for you to find the daggers Nik keeps on hand to shut us up. Get them for me."_

_Walking back around the bar, Rebekah climbed on to the stool next to Caroline. Turning to face her, she continued, "then I'm going to get that cure, shove it down his throat, and pierce his human heart with every single one of those daggers."_

_Caroline stared at her, not letting her face betray the shock she felt at Rebekah's disdain for her brother. "You'd really do that to your brother? I thought you loved him…"_

"_I feel a lot of things for Niklaus," Rebekah snapped back. "The love I felt has been buried under the pain of his one- too-many betrayals. You don't have a brother. You don't know what it's like to be hurt by the one person you've stood by for a thousand years."_

_Rebekah threw her empty bottle at Kol, reminding Caroline of his presence. "And why are you going after your brother? Don't tell me he hurt your feelings."_

_Kol placed the bottle he caught on the table he was leaning against and got up."Let's just say I'm a fan of mischief. Sure, I'm a little miffed at him for daggering me, but I can admit I deserved it. This plan of Rebekah's just seems fun." _

_His grin grew as he walked up to her. "I want to see how it unfolds."_

_The sadistic undertone of his words caused Caroline to shiver. _Sociopaths. I am surrounded by sociopaths.

_Caroline didn't know if she trusted Klaus, but one thing was certain: she definitely did not trust his demented siblings. "And what if I don't play your stupid game?"_

_Smiling, Rebekah stood up and took a step closer to her, "then I give Kol the okay to carve in to your body with the sharpest object he can find. You know he'll enjoy it."_

_From behind her Kol added with glee, "something tells me you're a screamer."_

_Pulling a knife out of her boot, Rebekah grabbed Caroline's arm and grazed the tip in slow patterns across Caroline's face. "Let me give you a preview."_

_Caroline pressed her lips together and winced, trying to muffle her scream as Rebekah cut in to the skin of her arm, not wanting to give either of them the pleasure of being right. _

_Seeing the pain on her face, Rebekah remarked, "and I'm being gentle about it, too. Kol takes delight in the art of torture."_

"_Well, I have had a few centuries of practice. Why do something if you're not going to enjoy it?"_

_Caroline's mind started spinning with the pain. Rebekah pulled the knife out and wiped the blood away with a rag left on the bar. As the jagged cut began healing Rebekah grabbed the other arm and slit it open as well._

_This time Caroline did scream. "Stop it! Please, I'll do it! Just stop!" _

_Rebekah stopped and wiped at the arm and blade. "I didn't like doing that, Caroline. I just need to be sure you understand the severity of my request. It's nothing personal against you, just against my brother. I assure you, as soon as you do your part, you will be free to go as you please. And if you do it right Niklaus won't be around to interfere in your life either."_

_Putting the knife back into her boot, Rebekah added, "If you fail, however, I will repeat this torture. Not only on you, but your mother as well. Then I will compel your hybrid boyfriend to turn and come after you and your band of merry men. Understood?"_

_Caroline could only stare. She was asking as if she had a choice. "Come at me all you want, just leave my mother out of this."_

"_Do as we say and she will remain safe," Kol answered._

_Looking down at her arm as the pain receded, she nodded and got up. "Can I go now? It's a long drive and Klaus will know something is up if I don't get back right after school ends."_

"_Just one more thing," Rebekah said moving back to her. Staring into her eyes, she compelled, "you will not tell Niklaus about this. You will do as we say until further notice."_

_Silently thanking Klaus for giving her the vervain, Caroline played along. "I won't tell Klaus. I'll do what you say."_

_Rebekah stepped back satisfied. "There's a good girl. Run along now. Don't want you to be late."_

_Caroline got into her car and drove. She drove until she could no longer see due to the tears filling her eyes. Pulling over to the side of the abandoned road, she dropped her head on the steering wheel and sobbed until the ache in her heart numbed. _

_She didn't know how long she sat there, but when she finally lifted her head she saw that she barely had time to get home before Klaus got suspicious again. He'd be waiting._

And indeed he was. But he didn't push for the answers she knew he was dying for. She appreciated that. Watching him enjoy the movie she knew by heart, Caroline considered their situation.

_He really is trying to trust me. But… Do I deserve it? He was right that first day, all I ever do is betray him. Yet, he still gives me another chance. What if this will be the breaking point?_

Caroline couldn't make sense of her feelings. All she knew was that she didn't want to betray him again. _He doesn't deserve it. Not from me._

Klaus had noticed halfway through the movie that Caroline's mind was elsewhere. She was trying to sort through something and he was willing to give her the time and space to figure out whatever she needed to figure out as he watched the movie.

But now the movie was over. And her time was up.

Turning off the screen Klaus turned to face her on the other end of the couch. "You didn't even watch the movie, love."

Still staring at him, Caroline answered quietly. "I've seen it enough to quote it to you."

Leaning back against the armrest, Klaus folded his arms and asked, "then pray tell, what was the purpose of this little exercise?"

She shrugged. "I thought you might enjoy it."

Klaus raised an amused eyebrow. "Ah, the story of a beast entrapping a beauty, leading to the softening of his heart and ways. If this was your way of telling me that a beast is capable of loving and being loved in return, I must inform you: subtlety is not your strong suit."

Shrugging again, she added, "maybe not, but it's true. You love your psychopathic siblings."

Tilting his head, he considered her statement. "I'm fond of them, certainly. They're the only ones to stay constants in my life." Trying to figure out where she was going with this, he reiterated, "I'm fond of them, but I would hesitate to call it love. They've all had moments warranting a dagger in their heart."

Caroline had her doubts. "No. You love them. You just… don't always trust them. And that's been your existential dilemma." She pulled up her knees and rested her chin on them as she studied him. "Your family has spurned you and betrayed you in turns, removing all traces of trust you ever had."

Klaus didn't like the look in her eyes. "Don't pity me. I'm the strongest creature alive. Your pity is wasted."

"It's not pity. It's sympathy that I feel for you."

Klaus was at a loss for words as he watched her scoot over to him and rest her head against his shoulder. Unsure of what to do, he spread his arms giving her room but rested them on the back of the sofa, not wanting to presume to much by touching her.

"What are you doing, Caroline?" he asked in a hoarse whisper.

"Trusting you," she replied simply.

"Why?" he breathed trying to hold off the bubble of warmth that was growing inside of him.

"Because you trusted me last night," she answered. "Because no matter what you say, I know you'll never hurt me."

The bubble burst and his entire being was filled by the warm light that Caroline had filled his life with in the past week. He moved his arm to wrap around her shoulder and whispered, "Caroline…"

Hearing the relief in his voice Caroline lifted her head from his chest and clarified, "this doesn't mean I like you… I just trust you not to mess with me."

Klaus hid a smile as he pulled her back against him. "Of course, love. Whatever you say." But Klaus certainly felt like he had won a small battle.

Both of them silently stared into the blazing fireplace as they got comfortable with the shift in their… situation.

Eventually Caroline broke the silence.

"I need to tell you something and I need you to not get mad."

Klaus's guard went back up. "Does this have to do with what happened to you while you were who-knows-where today? I know you weren't at school, as Stefan said he hadn't seen you."

Caroline pulled away again and this time Klaus let her. "You called Stefan?" she asked a little upset.

"He seems to be the one you go to with all your problems. When you came home with evidence of tears on your face, I assumed he would know why."

Caroline stared at him. "You were worried about me?"

Klaus rolled his eyes at the fact that she needed confirmation, but he gave it to her in exasperation. "Yes, Caroline. I worry about you. I'm the Alpha male... I like to be in control but you… you have a way of functioning beyond it."

Caroline liked the feeling she got learning these little nuances about him. Nuances that centered on her. Wanting to hide her smile, she ducked her head and leaned back against him.

Not wanting her to read too much into his declaration, he asked, "what is it you wanted to tell me?"

Caroline sighed, knowing she couldn't put this off forever. "I saw Kol and Rebekah today," she said looking up at him uncertainly from under her eyelashes.

Klaus stiffened and gripped her shoulder a little tighter. Looking at her with murder in his eyes, he asked, "did they hurt you?"

Choosing to omit details that would lead to the impulsive werewolf side in him doing something too rash, Caroline said, "they have a plan. They're coming after you. And Klaus… I don't think they're going to stop."

Standing up, Klaus glared down at her. "Caroline. Did. They. _Hurt you_?

Seeing he wasn't going to drop it, she stared at her hands and whispered, "enough to make their point."

Growling, Klaus marched out of the room. "I will end them!"

Caroline ran after him. "Klaus, wait." He reached the front door, ignoring her pleas behind him. "Klaus! _Stop_!" she yelled speeding to stand between him and the door.

"Get out of my way, sweetheart. Or I will move you myself."

Putting her hands on her hips, Caroline shook her head at him. "You and your siblings are exactly alike! Always resorting to physical force to get what you want. Are you really surprised they would use violence to ensure I listen to them? I mean, it is the Klaus-specialty!"

"Caroline, do not turn this around on me. They came after you to get to me. I'm going to go to them now so they won't come after you ever again. I'm trying to protect _you._"

Hearing his words softened her. She stepped up to him and took a hold of his hands. "Thank you for wanting to do that for me, but you can't go after them without knowing what they're up to. Rein in that wolf and listen to me."

She always surprised him with her depth of perception of him. Caroline managed to understand his nature better than even his siblings had in a thousand years. "You have five minutes to explain. And then you won't stop me from finishing this in the best way I decide."

Rolling her eyes, Caroline huffed. "Fine. Rebekah asked me to find out where you hide the daggers and get them for her."

"They must consider me an utter fool to think I'd make it that easy for them."

Knowing he didn't understand the severity of the situation, Caroline continued, "the daggers are the least of your worries, Klaus." Looking into his eyes, she said, "they're planning on killing you."

Klaus scoffed. "Those days in the coffin must have addled their brains. I'm a hybrid. I can't be killed, sweetheart," he said with confidence.

Spinning away from him, Caroline groaned in frustration. "Could you just _stop being so cocky _for like five seconds?! They have a good plan! And your annoying attitude is making me reconsider telling you. Maybe you deserve to have your ass kicked," she said as she stopped to glare at him.

Amused by how invested she seemed to be in his safety, he said, "I apologize, love. Please, do tell how my siblings have plotted my demise."

Choosing to ignore the condescending tone in his voice, she revealed, "they're going after the cure."

He narrowed his eyes. "What's in it for them? Do they want to destroy it so I couldn't use it on Elena?"

Caroline sighed, grateful that he was finally on the same page as her. "No. They… they plan on using it on you. They plan on making you human so they can finally kill you."

She watched as he absorbed this, trying to imagine the betrayal he felt at the hands of his siblings. He would never admit it, but Caroline could swear she saw hurt in his eyes, even as the muscle in his jaw jumped in anger.

"Well…" he started, lifting his chin, "I'd like to see them try." Klaus turned back to open the front door, but Caroline was there to shut it again.

"Klaus… you can't go after them," she said, pleading with every ounce of her body. "They said- they'll go after my mother if they know I told you. She thinks she compelled me to forget, and we need to let her believe that."

She watched him carefully, hoping he'd understand. For a minute he just stared back. Eventually, Klaus took a step back and placed his hands behind his back. "Very well, sweetheart. I won't do anything to endanger your mother. She's been the most obliging person in this town. She doesn't deserve to have those homicidal maniacs targeting her. I'll come up with another plan."

Something was not right. Caroline had come to understand him enough to know when he had a plan cooked up that she wasn't going to like. "You're not going to tell me what you're up to, are you?"

Klaus tilted his head. "I assure you, you're mother will be safe. Isn't that all that matters?"

Caroline hung her head. "Klaus… I thought you trusted me."

Feeling her disappointment radiate throughout his body, he stepped forward and lifted her chin to look in her eyes. "Caroline... I have spent a thousand years trusting none but myself. You-you make me want to change that but… do not expect miracles from me. I cannot easily give up the habit that has kept me alive for so long."

Moving his hand down to grab on to her wrist, Klaus took another step forward. "Trust goes both ways, love. I need you to trust that I will protect your family."

Seeing the conviction in his eyes, Caroline nodded. "Thank you," she whispered

Klaus nodded in return. "I'll let you go up to bed, but I must ask you something first… why did you tell me all this? Wouldn't it solve all your problems if they succeeded in ridding the world of me?"

Caroline bit her lip as she debated her response. _Thank you for your honesty, _he had once told her. _Why stop now?_ she wondered.

"Because I don't think you are who everyone else believes you to be. Because there's more to you. Because for whatever reason… you seem to be someone else around me. Because I don't see the beast you make yourself out to be. Because…" She hesitated with her final answer. "Because if you're gone then I'll always wonder about the the world you could show me."

His jaw slackened in wonder at her response. He had never had someone other than his family risk it all for him. Yet… here was this girl who saw him as nobody ever had. It was humbling. It was empowering. It made him resolve to do best by her.

Caroline felt flustered at the depth of her confession. She never meant to reveal as much to him as she always seemed to. For some reason the filter between her heart and mouth vanished when he was around. It was disconcerting for her.

As the panic rose in her body at how this confession was going to change their situation, Caroline turned and walked up the stairs. She wanted privacy as she got her rioting emotions under control.

Klaus stopped her before she could disappear out of sight. "Caroline," he said and waited until she turned to face him cautiously. Seeing the uncertainty on her face, he wanted to run up and engulf her in the most comforting embrace. But he didn't know how to do that, comfort someone.

So instead he said the only thing he knew how to offer. "I will take care of you, love. I give you my word. You'll be safe."

Caroline studied him from her place on the stairs before giving an imperceptible nod. Klaus watched as she continued down the hall, his own emotions at war with each other.

_Sort through them later,_ he told himself as he listened for the sound of her door latching in place.

When he was certain she was down for the night Klaus walked out of his house and into the woods. Pulling out his cell phone, he made the call he knew Caroline wouldn't like.

"Hello, ripper. I have a job for you."

**So this is the start of the second half of the story. Only a few chapters left, now. They'll probably end up being this long, and my updates will depend on how hectic school is :/ Sorry about that. But thank you to the people sticking around.**

**Also, I'm still reeling from Kol's death, so I could NOT let him die here. This is my happy place :)**

**And since Klaroline takes up 95% of my thoughts I now have a tumblr dedicated to them: givemelovelikeklaroline. I won't really be promoting this fic there, but I'm pretty nice, I think. Want to be friends?**

**Last but not least, I'm sticking with this fic because you all are sticking with me. So as long as you review, I'll write :) Did you like it? Don't like it? TELL ME! Please and thank you!**


	7. Twin Fire Signs

_"We are alone, just you and me, _

_Up in your room and our slates are clean._

_Just twin fire signs, four blue eyes..."_

For the first time in a long time, Caroline woke up with a feeling of excitement and anticipation of the day ahead of her. She didn't want to read too much into why she took extra time in picking out her outfit and spent a few more minutes on her make-up, so she kept her mind carefully blank as she practically skipped her way downstairs.

Before she could turn into the kitchen, the smell of freshly flowing blood hit her senses, stopping her dead in her tracks. _What…?_ In a state of disbelief, she proceeded into the kitchen only to stop and stare at the mess before her.

"Seriously?!" she yelled at Klaus, who sat at the table with his face buried at the neck of the girl on his lap.

Outrage and something akin to jealousy ran through her. Not understanding the latter she focused on the outrage. "I thought we were beyond this!"

Pulling his mouth from the blonde's neck, Klaus swiped his finger at the blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Licking his finger, he looked at Caroline and smirked. "I told you last night not to expect miracles, love. We're vampires. This is in our nature. You'll have to accept it sooner or later." Standing up, he pulled his human blood bag behind him as he stalked up to Caroline.

"And since you're out of blood bags this morning, I'd suggest you drink if you want to satisfy the appetite I know has been building since you first smelled the blood," he said, pushing the girl towards her.

Caroline caught the girl and glared at him. Keeping her eyes on his, Caroline bit into her wrist and helped the girl feed to regain the strength Klaus had depleted. "You're disgusting. I don't know why I thought…" she trailed off shaking her head. "You know what? No. I'm not doing this with you. You're not even worth the breath."

Klaus raised his chin as her words started an anger in him. Wiping the blood from the girl's mouth Caroline told her to leave. "She can't leave. She's been compelled by me to do as_ I_ say," Klaus explained.

Turning her blazing eyes back on him, Caroline commanded, "let her go. _Now."_

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

Caroline huffed and dug in for the fight. Narrowing her eyes, she asked, "why not?"

Smirking, now that he had the upper hand again, Klaus walked back to the table and patted his lap, indicating to the girl to sit back down. "Because, love. I realized last night that you seem to think you know me. And in knowing me, you think you can control me. I'll admit to being invested in you and what happens to you." Pulling back the girl's hair, Klaus stroked her neck. He didn't miss the way Caroline's eyes flickered at this action. "But you don't really know me. And you certainly can't control me," he finished slowly and bit into the girl's neck again.

Not able to witness the scene unraveling before her, Caroline tried another tactic. "Klaus, _please_. Stop! Don't do this."

Lifting his head, he laughed at her. "No, sweetheart. Take a good look. _This is me!_ This is who I am. And I'm not going to change!" Standing up, he shook his head at her. "You can't make me."

Klaus pulled both of the girl's wrists behind her back and addressed Carline. "Now, you have two options: Drink your fill and let the girl go. Or watch as I enjoy the taste of her blood… until I can't anymore."

The challenge in his eyes let her know he wasn't going to bend on this. Slowly, she approached them.

Tears welled in her eyes. Disgusted at what he was making her do, Caroline didn't think as she carefully sunk her teeth into where he had already punctured the skin.

_Ecstasy._ Klaus had said Stefan was in ecstasy when he was drinking from their life source. It had been a while since Caroline had tasted the vein but her body remembered it. The thrill coursed through her and she had to physically pull herself from draining the girl dry.

Keeping her face clear of any pleasure she felt at the taste of fresh blood, Caroline looked back up at Klaus. "I'm done. Now let her go."

Smiling in victory, he commanded the girl, "thanks for the meal, sweetheart. You're free to go."

Caroline was wiping her mouth when she realized something. "Vervain. There was vervain in her blood."

Smile still in place and hands behind his back, Klaus admired the sight of Caroline before him. Her skin had an enticing pink tint to it after consuming the warm blood. _I could get used to this sight… if only she could get used to the vein._

"Perceptive, love," he replied. "I thought the medicine would go down better mixed in your meal. Seems I was right," he said with a smirk. "You're still standing upright, aren't you?"

She was still rubbing her mouth absentmindedly, as she thought back. To her days with Damon.

"Is something wrong?" Klaus asked as he saw her brow wrinkle in confusion.

Looking up at him, she explained, "When I was human… Damon drank from me, but it hurt him because Stefan had put vervain in my drink…"

"Yes, well, he had probably never ingested it before. It could be quite a shock to your system even if laced with the heady taste of fresh blood," Klaus reasoned.

But Caroline wasn't really paying attention. "Hmmm…" she responded.

Seeing she was still lost in the thoughts of her past, Klaus walked up to her. Grabbing her arm and lifting her chin, he asked her softly, concern evident in his eyes, "What happened, Caroline? Did Damon hurt you as a human? Did he do more than just drink from you?"

Staring into his determined eyes, Caroline licked her lips, knowing she had to lie to him just when she had resolved not to. "You know Damon… he embraces the vampire life. Follows the Klaus philosophy of our predatory nature," Caroline tried to laugh off.

Klaus wasn't fooled. "_Caroline_. What. Did. He. _Do _to you?"

Caroline shook out of his hold. "Nothing! _God, _just leave it alone. Let it go. Or do you really want to talk about Damon's evils when you just tortured a girl for a snack 5 minutes ago?" Grabbing the purse she had dropped as she fed, Caroline walked towards the door.

Knowing Klaus followed her and was determined to get answers, Caroline paused with her hand on the door. "Seriously, Klaus," she started quietly. "Let it go. I'm fine. I'm here, aren't I? Just… let it go. Can you do at least that much for me?"

Without waiting for an answer, Caroline left, leaving a baffled and piqued Klaus behind her.

_Something happened… and when I find out I will make that Salvatore regret breathing after causing that look of misery on Caroline's face._ He scoffed as his conscience played another game with him. _As if I haven't caused her enough misery… Why do I do this to her? _he thought as the scene in the kitchen replayed itself in his head.

_Just get her some blood bags and leave her the bloody hell alone. First Damon and now my deranged siblings. She has enough torment in her life._ _Why am I adding on to it?_

Klaus sighed, conflicted with his feelings. Heading to his studio, he reached a compromise with himself._ Maybe I can stop torturing her… but I can't leave her be. I'm starting to wonder if I will ever be able to quit the habit that is Caroline Forbes…_

Before he could pick up a brush and proceed to paint out his mess of feelings, his phone rang. Seeing the name on the screen, he answered with a growl, "tell me it's done…"

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

As anxious as she'd been to get back to school earlier in the week, it just didn't hold the same appeal for Caroline anymore. She spent all day thinking of the man she left at home.

_That wasn't him… or maybe it was him and I'm just to naïve to understand that he can be the monster that feeds on people with such brutality and still be the battered man I saw the other night._

_But which one's the real Klaus? _Caroline wondered. _Which one is _my _Klaus?_

Caroline sat up in her chair at the thought. _My Klaus? He's not my anything! But he's… _she couldn't align her thoughts with her feelings. _Maybe I should stop thinking about what I want to feel and just accept what I _do _feel. He is _my _Klaus. At least… there's a version of him that's mine. He doesn't share that part of him with anyone else… not that I know of._

The feeling of jealousy sparked unwanted in her body. Thinking back to this morning, she remembered how she felt seeing his hands and lips on the other girl's neck. _Okay, so maybe I'm a little possessive of… whatever this… situation is! Any girl would be._

The bell rang and Caroline groaned in frustration at the fact that she hadn't heard a single word of what happened in the class. Grabbing her books she turned to find Bonnie.

"Do you know where Stefan is?" she asked Bonnie.

Bonnie shrugged. "He was here yesterday, but when he saw that you hadn't showed up by lunchtime, he left. Haven't seen him since. Why? What's up?"

Shaking her head, Caroline answered, "I got… derailed." She didn't want to explain what kept her the day before, so she changed the subject. "I have to head home. Klaus is a little… neurotic about punctuality."

Before she could turn away, Bonnie stopped her by grabbing her arm. "Caroline, wait… is everything okay? What is Klaus doing with you? You-you're not compelled… are you?"

Caroline smiled at the concern in her best friend's eyes. "Aw, Bonnie. Don't worry about me. Klaus won't hurt me… in fact, I'm almost positive he can't. He… I think he feels…. I don't know," Caroline looked up in exasperation. It was so hard to label these feelings between them. "He cares, Bonnie. A lot more than we gave him credit for. He's not always what we make him out to be."

"Okay, you really are compelled. It's okay, I can do magic. Shane's taught me this thing called expression. I can do all kinds of powerful magic without hurting myself-"

"Bonnie, stop!" Caroline practically yelled, with a laugh. "I'm not compelled. He even gave me vervain to drink so I'd be safe from the original Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum."

Bonnie was even more confused. "Wait, what? Kol and Rebekah are back?"

She sighed at the memory of the day before. "Yes, and they're out for blood. That's why I was looking for Stefan. I know Elena doesn't approve of Stefan and Klaus working together, but I guess it's not her call anymore. Besides, Stefan is the only one of us who knows how Rebekah and Klaus work."

"And you," Bonnie said softly. "Not the other siblings, but I'm starting to think you know Klaus better than any of us."

Caroline's lips parted at the quiet wonder in Bonnie's eyes. _She's right. I know him. At least, I know the man that is _my _Klaus._

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

The house was empty when Caroline got home. Seizing the opportunity, Caroline did what any girl would do in what was basically a well-decorated bachelor pad: she went snooping.

Forgoing the studios and galleries he had set up downstairs, Caroline went straight upstairs and started looking for his bedroom. _Why explore Wayne Mansion when you can head straight for the Batcave?_

It wasn't as easy as it seemed. _This place must have at least 20 bedrooms!_ After looking into six empty rooms, Caroline hit the jackpot behind door number 7. Oh… my _God._

The room was twice as big as her room with balcony doors on the far end. But that wasn't what caught her attention. It was the paintings.

Ignoring the warning her mind was trying to send her body, she went to sit on the bed that was big enough to fit a family and took in the collage of paintings on the wall facing it. _It's almost as if they tell a story… _

Portraits and landscapes filled with heartbreaking sentiments were framed and immortalized in a dark lit room, hidden from the world. _He wakes up to this sadness every morning…_

Feeling the pang of misery Klaus forces on himself, Caroline lay back on the bed with a sigh, trying to figure out the puzzle that was Niklaus Mikaelson. _A thousand years won't be enough to figure him out._

Knowing her time was limited, Caroline got up to leave the room. As she rolled off the bed, she noticed the drawer in his bedside table was left slightly open. As she wasn't one to stifle her curiosity, Caroline felt no guilt at opening it further and rifling through his things.

Nothing stood out except a spiral sketchbook that was left open. A rough sketch of the snowflake painting was done on the front, indicating it was a fairly new book. Picking it up Caroline flipped the page.

Her breath left her as she saw a sketch of herself from the holiday charity event. He drew her with a small smile as she looked over her shoulder, her eyes glinting with anticipation. _Is this how I look at him?_

The next page was the day he brought her here from the cemetery. Her face was set with a permanent frown. Her eyes were lit with an angry fire, disgust evident on her face. He captured her emotions so accurately, she felt a little guilty that he had to bring it to mind over and over as he drew this.

The next few pages were of her sitting by the fire place and lying on the floor of his studio, disappointment echoing through her face. Caroline quickly skipped past these, her feelings of discomfort growing exponentially.

And then she came across a sketch of her face as Klaus held her hand against his mouth. Wonder and bliss was etched in every stroke he drew. Caroline had never felt more exposed and vulnerable, yet at the same time, she knew only Klaus saw her this way. He wasn't one to share their moments with anyone else. In a way, he was as possessive over their "situation" as she was.

Another thought occurred to her as she stared at herself drawn clearly in the midst of passion. A thought she wouldn't dare to wonder aloud… _Would I look like that again with anyone else? Was it the aspect of forbidden ecstasy that made me feel this way? Will I ever feel this way again? _

Pulling herself away from the hypnotizing pleasure he captured on paper, Caroline turned the page.

And just like that all the anger from earlier that morning disappeared.

The page was filled with small sketches from the night they stayed up drinking their problems away. There were drawings of her challenging him to take a tequila shot, lying back on the cushions in front of the fire, another of her profile facing the Falls. Turning the page she saw a sketch of her standing in the balcony as he told her all the reasons he was fascinated by her, then one of her holding his hand as she reminded him he still had some humanity left in him.

_He was there… he wasn't drunk. He didn't miss a single moment._

The last few pictures were from the night before. Her tear streaked face when she got home. Her face as she watched him captivated by the movie. Her face as she told him she trusted him.

The last picture in the book was of her telling him all the reasons she didn't want him dead at the hands of his siblings.

Caroline had been denying all these things he was making her feel, but standing in his room, looking at the honesty in which he drew her, she saw everything clearly for the first time.

_I'm starting to look at him… the way he looks at me._ And this was the scariest thought of all.

Closing the book, she placed it back in his drawer and walked out wondering just what the hell she was going to do now.

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

"Caroline? Caroline!" Klaus shouted as he got home.

Avoiding the realizations the drawings brought her, Caroline had gone back downstairs and started her homework, spread out on the living room floor.

"I'm a vampire. You don't need to yell," she muttered.

"Sometimes it's the only way to get your attention, love," Klaus smirked from the doorway.

"Go away. I'm doing homework," she said, not yet ready to face him with all these new feelings trying to sort themselves out in her mind.

"I've _been_ away. Surely, you can put up with me a few more seconds as I give you something I think you'll rather enjoy."

This had the desired effect. Caroline's eyes glinted in surprise and excitement. The skepticism in her tone didn't fool him. "What is it?"

"A free pass. Go. Go out tonight. Do what you want. Call up Bonnie and whomever you want. You have the night to yourself."

Caroline jumped up from her place on the ground. "Are you for real? I can do whatever I want to do tonight?"

Seeing the joy on her face brought a certain amount of contentment to his confused mind. Here he had thought she'd never get over what he made her do that morning. "Yes. Go. But just for tonight."

Caroline squealed in excitement as she ran out the room.

Klaus went after her and stopped her by saying, "Caroline…. Just don't… call Tyler."

He said it as a command, but Caroline saw the plea in his eyes. _Why does he feel threatened by Tyler? What can Tyler do that he can't?_

"Still on your terms, Klaus?" she asked sadly.

Klaus growled in frustration. "That came out wrong… It wasn't a command…. It was a request."

Caroline slowly nodded in understanding and continued on her way to her room.

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

Caroline had called Bonnie and Elena and made plans to meet up at Bonnie's. She had changed into one of her more flattering little black dresses and was curling her hair at the vanity in her walk-in closet, when she saw Klaus come up behind her.

She saw the appreciation in his eyes as he took in her look for the night. Seeing him swallow, Caroline hid a small smile.

"Caroline…" he began in a low voice.

"Need something?" she asked innocently.

"I…" he couldn't seem to form sentences. Shaking himself out of the trance being in her presence often caused him, he continued in a more aggressive tone, "what were you doing in my room, love?"

_Uh-oh._ "What are you talking about?" Caroline tried to dismiss it.

"Don't lie to me, Caroline. I… smelled you in there."

"I needed some paper, thought you might have some in your room."

Caroline watched him in the mirror as he came to stand directly behind her. Bending toward her ear, he asked in a whisper, "and what were you doing on my bed?"

Her eyes widened, seeing the fire in his eyes. This time it was Caroline who swallowed, clearly out of her depth.

Caroline put her curling iron down as Klaus ran his fingers up and down her bare arms, soft as a feather. "Klaus…don't," she chided, even as a thrill rushed through her at his touch.

"What, Caroline? You don't want me invading your personal space as you've invaded mine? You don't want me to leave imprints of myself in your mind as you've left in mine? You don't want me to infuse myself in to every one of your senses so that there's no place you can go to escape anymore? Not even your room?"

Goosebumps prickled her skin at his soft but haunting words. "I bother you that much?" she asked just as softly.

Pressing his forehead on to her shoulder, Klaus inhaled deeply. "No, love. You torture me that much." Lifting his head he stared at her reflection in the mirror. "It is… the sweetest torture I've ever had the pleasure to experience," he confessed.

Caroline blinked at the brutal honesty on his face. Wanting to apologize, but not knowing for what, she brought her hand up to touch the one he rested on her shoulder.

Almost as if the touch would have been too much for him to handle, Klaus let go of her and slowly stepped away.

"Go now, Caroline, before I stop you by doing something we both know you're not ready for."

Knowing he was precariously close to breaking down, and afraid that she wouldn't protest, Caroline grabbed her purse and ran out of the house.

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

"So the warden let you out of the house?" Bonnie asked as she let Caroline into her house.

"Only on parole," Caroline answered with a roll of her eyes.

The entire drive over, Caroline debated whether or not to confide in her friends about the mess of things she was feeling.

Klaus thrilled her and challenged her in a way nobody ever had before. He didn't dismiss her for being too young or too naïve or too immature.

He made her feel alive.

But Bonnie wouldn't understand that. Neither would Elena. They only knew the bad in him. She knew the bad and the good, and she was starting to accept him for all that he was, because who he was… was a man who appreciated her and cared for her, a man who told her she could be whomever, do whatever she wanted. And he wanted to be there in every step of the way.

She was… intrigued. And _oh, so tempted. _

With him, she fed on a human and didn't get carried away. He offered her a life she never thought she could explore. And with each minute she spent with him, she was tempted to explore more.

But her friends wouldn't understand. So she stayed mum and instead pasted on a fake smile and pretended to be ecstatic at being let out, when all she wanted was to go back and ask him just what the hell their "situation" was.

"Crap. Elena can't make it," Bonnie said looking at the text she just got. "Something to do with Jeremy. I guess it's just you and me then."

"Then I guess we'll be drinking for her!"

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

The Mystic Grille was overly crowded when they got there. It seemed that with the recent deaths the entire town had taken to drinking their problems away.

But that's not what Caroline noticed when she walked in.

She noticed the lone original hybrid, sitting at the bar drinking heavily into the town's supply of liquor. And she noticed how his back stiffened, sensing her presence.

"Seriously?" she whispered furiously.

"What's he doing here?" Bonnie asked. "Can't let you out of his sight?"

"Excuse me while I go straighten him out," Caroline said stomping away.

"You _cannot_ do this to me!" Caroline said as she approached him. "This was supposed to be my night out. You said I could have this one night, Klaus!"

"I did," he replied without facing her. "I thought you'd spend it with your friends, watching one of those plethoras of films you seem to be so fond of."

Caroline watched as he downed another drink. She noticed for the first time since she walked in that Klaus wore the saddest, grimmest expression on his face. _Let it go, Caroline, _she told herself.

"Okay, new rules. You stay on this side of the Grille and I will stay on the other. We did not see each other, this did not happen." This said she turned around to walk away, when she saw Stefan walk in with Rebekah.

"What in the hell is he doing here _with her?!"_ she exclaimed in a whisper.

It was enough to get their attention. Rebekah looked over at her with a smug smile on her face.

Klaus turned around to see the look they shot at each other. "It's as odd to me as it is to you," he said, watching his old friend escorting his baby sister. "But don't worry. You will be fine."

Caroline gave him an incredulous look. "Okay, what are you two planning?!" she whispered.

With warning in his eyes, he replied, "not now, Caroline. Go. Bonnie is waiting for you."

She looked over to see that Bonnie was staring back and forth between Caroline with Klaus and Stefan with Rebekah. Caroline sighed, and with one final glare at Klaus, walked back to Bonnie and ordered her drink.

"What is going on in this town?" Bonnie asked, confused as ever.

"I couldn't explain it if I tried," she muttered into her drink.

Caroline tried to enjoy the rest of the night. She _really_ did. It was just the ever present eyes on her that she couldn't shake off. One set of eyes stared in contempt. Another in a more indescribable emotion. _Ugh, these original siblings have to get over their fascination with me._

When she saw that Rebekah had walked away from Stefan for a bit, she excused herself to approach Stefan at the pool table.

"What are you doing with her, Stefan?" she confronted him.

Stefan gave her a sad smile. "It's not what you think. Rebekah is… different. I know she hurt you, but…. she's just lonely. She lashes out. I'm not making excuses for her. I'm just… hoping you accept that she deserves another chance. At least from me. For all the things we went through in the 20's, she chose me, Caroline. She chose me over her brother and spent 90 years in a coffin as a result."

Caroline stood with her mouth hung open in confusion. She shook her head and said softly, "It just... it doesn't make sense, Stefan."

Stefan grabbed her hand and nodded to indicate the man sitting at the bar, still staring at her. "It makes as much sense as you and Klaus. But it's there… isn't it?"

Looking over her shoulder hesitantly, Caroline stared at Klaus and accepted her fate. "It's there."

Walking away from Stefan, Caroline paused to tell Bonnie, "my time's up. I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow, though."

Without waiting for Bonnie's reply, Caroline marched purposefully to Klaus and said, "let's go home."

Klaus had given Caroline and Stefan their privacy and didn't listen to their conversation, as much as he wanted to. He didn't know why, but he knew he had to give them at least that much respect. So to see Caroline walk up to him with the devil in her eyes filled him with an unexpected eagerness.

Downing the drink in his hand he got up and led her out the door, ignoring the look he got from Rebekah. As soon as they walked out the door, they bumped into Tyler.

Taking in the hand Klaus had pressed to her back, Tyler glared at Caroline.

Seeing the look of disgust on his face bothered her. "Tyler…" she wanted a chance to explain.

"No, Caroline. I no longer care. Do what you want. Just stay away from me."

Caroline grabbed his arm and dragged him into the alley next to the building. "Tyler, please, let me explain," she pleaded, even as she knew she had no way to explain any of it.

"What could you possibly say to make this okay with me, Caroline? I will never be okay with him, and as long as you're with him... I'm not okay with you either," he said shaking his head.

As Caroline's eyes filled up in the heartbreak, Klaus sped in front of her and pushed his hand into Tyler's chest, grabbing onto his heart. "And you are done speaking to her, mate," he growled.

Caroline grabbed his arm and yelled, "Klaus, no! Stop," she tried as she pulled at his arm. "Please, don't hurt him, Klaus. Please!" she cried as she saw the pain on Tyler's face as he struggled to breathe.

Giving his heart a final threatening squeeze, Klaus let go. Turning to face Caroline, he whispered, "for you." And sped away into the night.

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

Caroline turned off her car and sat parked in Klaus's driveway.

After Tyler had shrugged off her help, Caroline made a call to her mother to ask her to go over and make sure he was okay. Liz promised to drive by his place, but asked if she was okay. "I'm fine, mom," she sighed into the phone. "Klaus… he's not who you think. He won't hurt me. That's the one thing I can assure you."

Appeased, her mom hung up and Caroline drove home in quiet contemplation of just what she was getting into with Klaus.

Knowing she wasn't going to solve anything by staying in the car, Caroline stepped out and went to confront the most frustrating being she had ever come across.

She found him standing on the second story terrace watching the falls.

"Klaus…" Caroline started, not knowing where to begin.

He solved the problem for her. "Is it still him, Caroline? Is it still Tyler?"

Wishing she could avoid this question, Caroline answered honestly, "I wish it could be. He would be the best for me. But no… it's not him. Not anymore."

Klaus nodded. He turned to face her and stared, hoping she wouldn't make a retreat.

Seeing the fierce commitment to her decision on her face, even as it scared the hell out of her, Klaus couldn't help but smile in admiration. Taking her hand he walked her slowly to his room, giving her a chance to make her escape if she wanted to.

Standing in the middle of his room, he turned to face her again, bringing his hands to her shoulders.

Caroline wanted more than anything to be there with him in that moment, but the fear was creeping back in to her mind.

"Give in, sweetheart," he whispered softly, drawing circles on her shoulders with his thumbs.

Caroline gave a wry smile as she looked up at him. "To you?"

Klaus pushed back her hair as he answered, "no. To you. To what you want. What you _really_ want. _Just. Give. In._"

His words echoed in the room like a prayer. Caroline tilted her head to give him better access as he dropped his head to place light kisses on her shoulder.

_I could walk away now… but I'll end up back here at some point._ Caroline realized. _How long can I resist?_

That was the last coherent thought she had as she felt Klaus graze his teeth on her neck. With a soft gasp, she gave in.

"Do it," she whispered, running her hand through his curls.

Klaus pulled away, looking at her in concern. "I'd just hurt you Caroline. I'm a hybrid, remember?" he said softly.

Caroline shook her head. Bring her hand up to his neck, she spoke with a brazenness she didn't know she had in her, "you don't think I'll let you go this time without returning the favor, do you?"

The fire burning in him grew at the mischievous smile she gave him.

Thrusting his hands in her hair, he tilted her head and slowly bit in. Caroline gasped at the burning pain of the venom mixing in her system. And then she gasped at the pleasure that followed.

It was better than she remembered. Caroline felt her body go weak with all the emotions his mouth was bringing out in her. He held her up as he alternated sucking deeply and roughly, then slowly and gently.

Caroline relished the pleasure and pain he brought her in turns. Moaning in the ecstasy, she pushed him off, knowing she couldn't take any more without exploding.

She wanted to bring him to the same precipice she teetered on. Pushing him onto the bed, Caroline straddled him and rubbed her lips on his neck. "My turn," she whispered as she bit down.

Klaus fisted his hands in her hair as she sucked greedily. She took no mercy on him as she rushed him to a high he hadn't experienced in a long time.

_Maybe I never have. I've never done this with someone I… care for as much as I do for this girl. She's... ruining me._

Klaus felt his body tremble with the euphoria her lips brought him. Not able to take any more, he sat up, removing her from his neck.

Caroline was on a high. She was seduced into experiencing something she wouldn't have allowed herself if it was anyone else. But with Klaus… it was different. He made her feel safe. Like he wouldn't let her get carried away.

When he pulled her away from his neck, Caroline licked her lips and moved in to taste his, to take what she'd been denying herself for days.

But Klaus wouldn't let their lips do any more than graze softly as he said, "Caroline… love, we can't."

Caroline pulled away. "What are you talking about?" she asked incredulously. "You want this. _I know _you want this," she said squirming in his lap.

Klaus groaned at her light tease. Pressing his forehead to hers, he whispered, "I surrender."

Smiling, Caroline said, "I knew you would," as she moved in once again for his lips, but Klaus placed her down on his bed and stood up.

"No," he began. "I surrender to this… feeling. I thought I could remove you from my system, but love, you are as deeply embedded as my hybrid genes. This desire for you… this craving… it'll never go away." Looking at her with fear in his eyes, he said, "I'll never be rid of it."

Caroline looked at him in confusion. "Where are you going with this?" she asked cautiously, fearing she wouldn't like his answer.

"Probably to hell," he said in self-deprecation. "And you're going home. You're free, Caroline. Go live your life. I couldn't hurt you as much as I could stop wanting you. And you and me… it would ruin you."

Caroline sat on his bed, her mouth open but unable to find the words she wanted. She watched as he paced back and forth. Eventually he opened his balcony doors and walked out.

_Did he just walk out on me?!_

Angry now, Caroline followed him outside. Spinning him around, Caroline glared at him, "don't you dare _ever_ walk out on me again!"

Klaus looked at her in warning and growled, "go home, Caroline."

Seeing the sadness he was trying so hard to hide, Caroline softened. Grabbing his hand she said plainly, "I thought I was home."

Klaus looked up from their joint hands to stare at her.

"Klaus…" she whispered softly. "_Just give in."_

**This chapter was hell to write :/ I don't know if I conveyed what they were feeling the way I wanted to. Let me know what you think!**

**Also, after last weeks episode I wanted to get this chapter up before tonight's as I've been dying with the wait :D I might not be alive to write the next chapter, fair warning ;)**

**And did you see the awesome cover _foreverhybrid _did for this fic?! She's amazing! Follow her on tumblr if you don't already! And follow me if you want: _givemelovelikeklaroline_**

**Please, review and let me know what you thought of this chapter! I've never been as nervous as this chapter has made me :( Did I mess it up? And I promise all the confusing things like where Klaus was when she got home and what Rebekah is up to will be answered soon enough!**

**Review, please!**


	8. Hands of Fate

**Disclaimer: Somebody mentioned that I could have ended my story with that last chapter. I thought about it and I decided to warn you that if you like happy-ever-afters with a neat ending tied up in a bow, then that was it. There's no more for you to read. I hope you enjoyed this!**

**For those of you who love to torture your shipper hearts, please proceed :)  
**

_"These are the hands of fate._

_You're my Achilles heel."_

"I could… give in," Klaus started, "but what happens then, Caroline?"

Caroline looked up at him, lips parted, tears starting to form in her eyes. "Why are you doing this to me?" she whispered.

Raising her fists, she beat his chest with every sentence out of her mouth. "I walked away from my friends tonight to follow you. _You!_ You asked me to give in and _I did. For you!_ And now, when I'm taking a blind leap into you, _you're_ turning away?!"

The tears and moonlight reflected in her eyes to make them shine bluer than any sea Klaus had seen in all his years around the world. Reaching out to her, Klaus whispered, "Caroline…"

"No!" Caroline stepped back. "You can't do this to me!"

Tilting his head, Klaus tried to console her. "Caroline, I'm doing this _for you_."

Caroline shook her head taking yet another step back as he moved closer. "No, you're not! You're doing this _for you… s_o that you can walk away, be free of the one real thing you've got going for you."

Caroline hated herself as she felt her eyes fill to the brink of spilling over. She knew that Klaus responded to strength. Not weakness. Furiously blinking back the tears, she moved forward and took hold of the unbuttoned folds of his Henley.

"I'm not going to let you do this," she said looking into his eyes. "I'm not going to let you walk away from this… not until we can figure out what this is."

Klaus restrained himself from touching her. "You can't even define what _this _is, sweetheart. Why are you fighting for it?"

She studied her hands pulling at his shirt as she answered, "it's… a situation. We are in a situation."

"'A situation?'"

"Yes! A situation that doesn't make sense and can't possibly work, especially with my friends and your siblings… I mean, they won't understand, _I_ don't even understand. But I want to, because for the first time in my life I want something that isn't expected of me. I want to not care, but you're making this hard, because you're reminding me of all the reasons I should care-"

"Caroline," Klaus interrupted. "Easy, love. You're rambling."

Caroline looked up contritely. "Sorry, but I'm… nervous and I wish you'd stop resisting and make this easier on me…"

Grabbing the hands that pulled at his shirt, Klaus gave her an assuring squeeze. "If a thousand years has taught me anything it's that _nothing_ is easy. But there is reward in patience, Caroline... I'm not giving you up," he said firmly. "But I'm giving you your life back."

"I don't _want _my life back!" she said frantically.

"You may not want it, but you _need_ it, Caroline. You have a deep-rooted sense of loyalty… It's one of the things I like about you."

Looking down, Caroline tried to understand what he was telling her. "I could be loyal to you," she said in her broken voice.

Cupping her face in his palm, Klaus tilted her face to meet her eyes. "I don't doubt that for a second, love. But you'd hate yourself eventually. Somewhere down the line, may not today or this week, but in a month or two, you'll remember how your life was with Stefan, Bonnie… your mother, and you'll remember all the ways I have hurt them. And you'll hate yourself for turning your back on them. You'll hate yourself for turning away. For me."

Trailing his hands down to play with the ends of her hair, he finished quietly, "and then you'll just hate me. I'm not a weak man, Caroline, but after seeing what I've seen in your eyes tonight… I don't think I can bear to see hatred in them again."

As he dropped his hands from her, Caroline grasped them and asked desperately, "then make me forget! Make me forget all the horrible things you've done," she said, shaking his hands in her frustration.

"Klaus, for the first time in my entire life, I want to do what isn't expected of me. I want to give in to what I want, knowing it isn't what everyone else wants for me. _For the first time,_ I want something for myself. _Make. Me. Forget."_

The urge to give in to her request was strong. _It would be so easy... Make her forget. Take her away from all that would beg her to remember…_

But he couldn't do it. The world saw him as a monster, and that's what he was. He had no regrets. _Collateral damage_, he once called her. He didn't know then that the collateral damage of his nature would be this moment.

This feeling.

In that moment, Klaus decided to take the hit and save her the fallout.

"I can't do that, love."

"Klaus, please…" she begged.

"No, Caroline. I can't make you forget all the horrible things I've done, all the misery I've caused. I can't make you forget how you were the light in all this darkness I brought."

Angry now, Caroline pulled away. Spinning on her heels she marched back into the room.

"Caroline," Klaus called after her.

Turning around abruptly, she let her anger come out. "You know what, you're not doing this for me. You're doing this for you. And I'm not about to stand here and watch you lie to my face."

Anger burned hot and bright inside him as well, as he marched up to her. "I have done many things, said many things, but never have I lied to you, Caroline. Never."

"Yeah? Well, you sure chose a great moment to start. But here's the thing, Klaus… you can deny it all you want, but I know the truth. The real reason you won't make me forget," she looked at her finger as it poked into his chest. Knowing that he would never want the words said aloud, she gentled her poke into a caress. Looking up into his eyes, she said the one truth he'd been avoiding.

"You don't want me to forget… how you fell in love with me," she whispered.

Caroline saw the wall go up in his eyes. It frustrated her, but didn't surprise her.

"You don't know what you're talking about," he said taking a step back. "It's an attraction… an admiration."

Sadness at his inability to admit to his feelings overwhelmed her. "I thought you said you didn't lie. Not to me."

The muscles in his jaw tensed at her words. _Love is weakness._ He spent centuries trying to teach his siblings this lesson and they never learned. And here he was, succumbing to the feeling at last.

She was right. He could hide himself from the world, but never from her. "I do, love you," he cupped her face. "It's because I love you that I won't do this to you. You will be hunted at every turn if the truth got out."

"I've made many enemies, Caroline," he said touching his forehead to hers. "You would become a pawn in my demise. This is why I did not want this to happen. This is why you must go back to your world… a world apart from mine."

"I just want to forget," she whispered, trying to keep her tears at bay. "Just forget the past and only remember how I feel, right here, right now."

"I could start and end wars for you, Caroline… but I can't make you forget."

Caroline nodded in understanding, even as a pain settled over her for all that she could have had but wasn't going to get. Absentmindedly, she mentioned, "funny that you're the bad guy, when Damon had no problem making me forget the terror he brought to my life."

Pulling away at her words, Klaus stared at her. "What are you talking about? What did Damon do to you?"

Realizing her slip a moment too late, she tried to backtrack, "nothing. It's just his thing.. snatch, eat, erase. Nothing new."

Klaus wasn't falling for it. "He hurt you. He _physically_ hurt you."

"Klaus, calm down-"

"I don't know why I've let him live this long, anyway," he said to himself as he turned and sped out of the room.

Caroline stood and stared after him. _Well, that went well._

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

Klaus waited patiently, with his hands clasped behind his back, after knocking on the Salvatore Boarding House. _I am going to enjoy this one. A neat and civil kill. Perfectly justified._

The door creaked open to reveal a suspicious Stefan.

"Stefan. I assume you've heard from Caroline."

Caroline had called him the second Klaus left. She was on her way as well, but told Stefan to calm Klaus down until she got there. "You assume right."

"Then lets skip the formalities," he said stepping inside. "Where's your brother? I think you'll rather enjoy what I have planned for him, ripper."

The sinister smile didn't faze Stefan at all. "Skip the dramatics, Klaus. Yes, Damon hurt Caroline. It was a long time ago, and I put a stop to it. You can just thank me and be on your way."

"Oh, my mistake. I seemed to have missed the part where you killed him. Oh, that's right, you didn't," Klaus said moving into the house. "Now hand over your pathetic excuse for a brother and I'll take care of the bane of your existence for you."

Stefan put up his hands. "You got me, Klaus. I really want Damon dead. But as you can see, he's not here, so you can just leave, and I'll get him the message."

Klaus advanced toward Stefan, angered at his flippant attitude.

"Oh, leave him be, Niklaus," Rebekah said as she descended the stairs. "He's just trying to protect family. Nothing we haven't done in our endless lifetime. Go hunt your own prey."

Taking in her skimpy dress from the bar earlier and Stefan's usually perfect, unruffled hair, Klaus deduced what they had been up to till his timely arrival. "Gladly, dear sister," he smirked. "You two don't mind me. Carry on with your wayward ways.

"Hear that, Damon?" Klaus said loud enough to hear his echo. "You might as well come out, because I _will_ find you… No? Alright, then. A wolf does so enjoy the hunt…" he said, glee dripping in each word.

"Klaus, stop!"

Klaus paused on his way to the stairs and turned to stare at Caroline standing in the doorway.

"Don't do it, Klaus. Just… leave him alone," Caroline asked walking up to him.

But Rebekah got to her first.

"Well, what have we here? The big bad wolf has been whipped like a little puppy," Rebekah said looking at Klaus while holding Caroline in a bruising grip in front of her.

A sudden panic rose over him, knowing how Rebekah had no qualms in hurting Caroline before. Klaus took a step closer. "Let her go, Rebekah, Your problems are with me."

"No, Nik. My problems _are_ you," she said with a mirthless laugh.

Klaus kept his eyes on Rebekah and away from Caroline, afraid to let her see just how worried he was. "Then, come after me," he challenged.

Pulling Caroline back even harder, so that she winced in pain, Rebekah smiled, "I _am_ coming after you. Caroline here is your weakness. I hurt her, I hurt you. Win-win, big brother."

"Rebekah…" Stefan called from behind her. "Let her go. She didn't do anything to you."

Rebekah turned with Caroline still in front of her, so that Klaus stood to her left and Stefan to her right. "I'm sorry, Stefan. I tried to keep her out of it. I know she's your friend, but if this is how I show Nik what suffering feels like, then so be it. I was going to kill him, but an eternity of misery sounds better."

"_Stefan_," Klaus growled from his spot, never taking his eyes off Rebekah. "_You were supposed to take care of her."_

With shock and betrayal in her eyes, Rebekah swung her gaze back to Stefan. "_You were playing me?"_ she asked him unevenly. "You sided with _him_ over me? When all I've ever done is choose you?!"

Stefan took a step closer, wanting her to understand. "I didn't play you, Rebekah. I meant everything I've said, everything I've done. The only thing Klaus and I side together on is keeping Caroline safe. I can't let you hurt her or her family."

Caroline cried out in pain as Rebekah viciously pulled on her hair, tilting her head back to look at her. "You were compelled…" Rebekah narrowed her eyes. "Vervain. Where'd you get it?"

"Ste-fan," Caroline choked out past the death grip Rebekah had on her throat.

"Of course." Rebekah spat bitterly. "All the men in my life will bend over backwards to protect you, no regard for me. I hope you realize that what I'm about to do is justified."

With all the attention focused on Rebekah and Caroline, nobody noticed the man with the white oak stake creeping up behind Klaus.

But Caroline did.

Her eyes grew wide as she yelled as loud as the chokehold let her, "Damon, _don't!_"

Klaus spun around in time to see Damon as he leaped to tackle him. Rebekah loosened her grip as the two rolled on the ground with Damon finally pinning him down. "Your favorite blond over there almost ruined it, but the element of surprise does the trick," Damon said, raising the stake in triumph.

"_You imbecile. _You realize if you kill me, you kill yourself?" Klaus yelled in his fury at being taken unaware.

Damon paused with the stake in mid-air and rolled his eyes. "I thought about it, but then I realized, _hey, you were going to kill me anyway._ At least this way I take you with me."

Before he could bring the stake down into Klaus's heart, he was flung off violently by a very angry Rebekah.

"Nobody kills my brother, but _me,"_ Rebekah stated in her quiet fury.

Walking up to where Damon was struggling up off the ground, Rebekah picked up the discarded stake and plunged it into Damon's stomach. Damon groaned in agony.

Pulling it back out, she looked at Stefan. "And for all that you've done to me, I'm doing this one thing for you, I'm not going to kill Damon. _Today._"

Still wielding the stake, Rebekah stalked up to Caroline.

"_Rebekah!_" Klaus yelled from his spot where Damon had tackled him. His undead heart beat in frenzy, knowing that if Rebekah decided to kill Caroline, he wouldn't be able to get her in time to stop it.

Standing a foot away from Caroline, Rebekah tossed a haughty look over her shoulder at Klaus. Looking back at Caroline, she said, "I didn't think my brother had it in him to love. And then you showed up." Tilting her head, Rebekah contemplated the future. "His love will bring you misery, I hope you know that. It will bring you darkness, because that's all he has to offer. You can kiss your perfect, small-town life and your devoted friends good-bye.

"So here," Rebekah said, holding out the stake. "I have a feeling you'll be needing it more than me. You and I no longer have any issues. His love will torment you enough. You won't need it from me."

Hesitantly taking the stake, Caroline looked up at her in confusion. "Thank you," she said softly.

Rebekah studied her for another moment before nodding in acknowledgment. Turning around, she walked up to Klaus, who stood with a clenched jaw at all the comments she made to Caroline.

"Congratulations, Nik. You're in love. You finally broke your millennium long curse; you found the ability to care for someone other than yourself. But here's your next problem," she said in a conspiring whisper. "You don't know what it means to be in love. You don't know about self-sacrifice, you don't know how to put the needs of somebody else before your own; you don't know how to live simply to bring happiness to another. You cannot love with the purity she does. You're going to fill her with darkness until she hates you… until you hate yourself."

Stepping back, Rebekah smiled sadly at her brother. "there's your next curse, Nik. Good luck. I sincerely mean it. Because as your sister, I still love you. And love also means forgiving... So I forgive you."

As Caroline and Klaus stood rooted to their spot, contemplating the haunting truth in her words, Rebekah approached Stefan.

"I want to find the cure, Stefan. Not for revenge against my brother, but for myself. I want to be human. I want to find a forever love. A love with no secret agenda. I want somebody to care for me… like I do for them."

Stefan's face mirrored the guilt he felt for playing on Rebekah's emotions. "I'm sorry, Rebekah. You didn't deserve this."

Rebekah shook her head. "I'm not asking for your apology. I'm asking if you want to be partners… in the race for the cure."

Taking a step forward, Stefan slowly reached to hold her hand, unsure of her reception of him. "Whatever you want. I'm in."

Squeezing his hand in acceptance, Rebekah smiled at him. Looking over her shoulder she asked, "what about you, Nik? Still in the race?"

Klaus stood knowing that the next words out of his mouth would determine the course of the next phase in his life. With a grave expression on his face, he turned to look at Caroline, who hadn't taken her eyes off him since Rebekah walked away.

_What would you have me do?_

Caroline saw the question in his eyes, but didn't know how to answer. He didn't want to lose her, yet hadn't he rejected her a few hours ago? She didn't even care about the cure anymore. She just wanted to know where they stood.

Unsure of how to respond, Caroline turned around and walked out.

"Nik?" Rebekah called to bring him back to her question.

Without sparing a glance her way, Klaus strode after Caroline. "I have to go, Rebekah."

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

"Caroline? Caroline!"

_Déjà vu, _Caroline thought to herself as she stood on the terrace, watching the falls.

"You're here," Klaus spoke behind her, clearly surprised.

"You know, that's twice you've come home looking for me today. Why does it surprise you that I'm still here?" she asked turning to look at him.

"Because you don't belong here," he replied gravely.

"I don't belong in your home? Or I don't belong with you?"

After searching for her throughout Mystic Falls, Klaus came home as a last resort. Having been through the ordeal with Rebekah, Klaus didn't think Caroline would return here. During his search he had made up his mind as to the proper course of action to take with Caroline.

"Both. Did you not hear Rebekah? I will bring you nothing but misery," he said with conviction.

Crossing her arms, Caroline looked at him appalled. "Oh, I heard her. What bothers me is that you are so ready to believe her. Where's the fight, Klaus?"

Frustrated by her persistence in this matter, Klaus stalked up to her and gripped her arms. "You _need _to leave, Caroline," he growled in her face.

Lifting her hands she gripped his arms in return. "And you need to give up on trying to make me. For once I'm going to go with my gut and see this… situation through."

Klaus stared at her as if she was deluded. "You don't get it, do you? I'm not here to be a rebellious phase for you, love. I'm not a pawn for you to use… an excuse… just for you to do something you've always wanted."

As he spoke, the truth dawned on him. "That's it, isn't it? You just want to be with me, because I allow you to give in to your true nature… It's not really for me… It's for you."

Caroline swallowed at his speculation. She couldn't deny there was some truth in that, but she knew there was more in her heart for Klaus than there had ever been before. He was no longer a monster to her. She wanted the chance to explore what they could be.

"Klaus…"

"No, Caroline… I've been betrayed before. I know how it feels. Never thought I'd feel it due to you."

Giving a mirthless laugh, Klaus walked past her to stare into the woods. "And therein lays my weakness. I allowed myself to care. Enough to have it used against me…"

A feeling of dread crept over her as he spoke. "Klaus, I don't-"

"Go, Caroline," Klaus commanded. "I no longer want you here. I no longer want you."

His piece said, Klaus leaped over the terrace rails and sped into the woods, where Caroline couldn't follow him.

_I broke him… I finally broke him._

**First: I'm sorry about the wait. I couldn't decide if the story was too fast paced and tumblr and feels and Kathryn. Blame her. I do.**

**Second: two more chapters left! I'm going to do a little something different with this fic. I hope you all stay tuned and like it.**

**Third: while I wasn't writing this, I did write a drabble (Miss Me When I'm Gone). If you haven't yet, please read it and tell me if I'm any good at it, because that's where I'm headed :)**

**Fourth: those of you who've followed me on tumblr (givemelovelikeklaroline), I hope you enjoyed the sneak peek I gave of this chapter! I'll probably be posting one for the next chapter soon :)**

**Fifth: someone also asked if I added the "for you" line in the last chapter because of the episode. I actually updated before the episode so I had no idea that was going to happen! I squeal in excitement every time the show mirrors something I wrote!**

**Last: let me know if this was worth the wait! I've been venting my frustrations on tumblr to anyone who would listen, so thank you to the people who helped me through my doubts as a writer. Thanks to Kathryn, Ash, and Mackenzie especially! I really appreciated the advice!**

**Review! Please and thank you :)**


	9. Worthwhile Fight

**So if you hadn't noticed, I went through some bad moments after that last chapter. Then somebody sent me the nicest, most encouraging message ever yesterday, and I literally went back to writing that very second. I have no idea who you are or why you even care about my writing, but thank you for the love! This one here's for everyone who stuck with me :)**

_"This is a state of grace._

_This is a worthwhile fight..."_

He didn't come home that night. Caroline knew because she had waited patiently for him.

And waited.

And waited.

_What are you doing, Caroline? _She asked herself. _Waiting up for a guy? Seriously?! You don't need a guy! And you certainly don't need Klaus._

_But… I want him. God... why do I want _him? _Why do I want _Klaus?!

Caroline groaned in frustration as she paced in the kitchen. Every once in a while she'd stop and open the refrigerator for a blood bag, but she had depleted the supply. _I need to go get more blood… why am I having such a strong craving for blood?!_

She continued to pace, as a jumble of thoughts ran through her head. _Maybe I should make a stop at the blood bank… but what if Klaus comes back in the meantime? I need to explain to him…_

She stopped in the middle of a kitchen, as her thoughts came to a halt. _What am I going to explain to him? Was he wrong last night?_

_Ugh. This is so frustrating! Maybe I _should _go out. I could use the walk to clear my head._ So she grabbed her jacket and headed out, taking a short cut through the woods.

_Bad idea, _she thought as she heard someone jogging through the path in the woods. Knowing how hungry she had been all day, Caroline knew she should get away, but the lure of the furiously pumping blood in the joggers body pulled at her.

"Whoa! Where'd you come from?!" the jogger panted as she came to a stop, seeing Caroline standing in her way.

"I need you to not scream," Caroline compelled as she walked closer to the girl. _What am I doing? _She asked herself. _I don't do this. I _can't _do this._

Remembering the intoxicating taste of the girl from the day before, Caroline felt the veins around her eyes come out. _I can do this. I can just have a little taste and let her go, _she told herself.

"You're not going to make a sound and you're not going to move. I'm not going to hurt you… I just need… to taste…" Unable to stop herself, Caroline bit into the girl's neck and let the warm fluid course through her.

_This is what I needed. More of this. Blood bags don't compare to the real thing._

"Caroline, what are you doing?" said a voice behind her.

Caroline turned to face Klaus, with a smile on her face.

"You're back," she said softly.

"I never left," Klaus answered approaching her. "I was waiting for you to leave."

"But why?" she asked with a desperate chuckle. "You didn't mean what you said last night. You were just mad. And Klaus, I'm sorry. I'm-"

"Stop, Caroline," he commanded as he gingerly removed the girl from Caroline's bruising grip. Seeing that Caroline had lost control during her feed, Klaus ripped into the girl's neck and finished the job for her.

Dropping the body, Klaus decided to come back later to bury her. Right now, he just wanted to get Caroline cleaned up, before she came to her senses and saw a monster in herself.

Caroline's mouth dropped open in shock. "You killed her," she said with a gasp. "I was going to let her go."

Klaus lifted an eyebrow at the fact that she had no idea how far she had gone, but decided to not burden her with the truth. "I'm not the good guy in this scenario, love. Never will be," he said wiping his mouth.

Taking her hand, Klaus looked away from her horrified eyes. "I never asked you to accept this part of me. I don't expect you to."

Klaus sped her home and sat her down in the kitchen while he got a wet towel.

"It's a part of me too, isn't it?" she asked in a whisper, as he wiped her face of the blood. "I did that…" she said to herself.

Looking up at his face hovering six inches away from hers, she asked desperately, "did I do that?"

Seeing the panic starting in her eyes, Klaus dropped his hands from her face and stood up. He walked to the sink and washed his hands before answering.

"I told you, you'd enjoy it one day. You may not like what you've done now, but eventually you'll be able to accept your nature. "

Walking back to her, he stopped 3 feet away and leaned down, resting his hands on his knees so he could look in her eyes. "You're strong now, but once you embrace your vampire side, Caroline… you'll be unstoppable. You'll be a force to be reckoned with, love. The potential you have… I see it in your eyes."

Tucking her hair behind her ear, he whispered, "this place is holding you back… and one day, you won't let it. I hope I'm around to see it."

His words weaved a dream of a future she never imagined for herself. Is this what she wanted?

As she questioned herself, her mind went back to his last comment. Narrowing her eyes, she asked hesitantly, "where else would you be?"

Before he could answer, Rebekah walked in with Stefan trailing reluctantly behind her. "I'm probably interrupting, but I don't really care. I'm here to do you a favor so I won't apologize, but you can thank me later."

"Rebekah," Klaus growled in annoyance as he straightened to faced her.

Stefan shifted on his feet, as he noticed the tension between Klaus and Caroline. _What had he said to put that lost look on her face?_

"Caroline, are you okay? Did he hurt you?" Stefan asked, crouching in front of her.

Klaus tilted his head as he glared at Stefan. "your low opinion of me is wearing thin on my nerves, mate. Kindly keep yourself from assuming I'd let any harm come to her, or I'll give you a free demonstration of just what damage I can do if provoked."

"Oh, lighten up, Nik. He's Stefan. He's just the overprotective-sort. I believe you used to know what that's like… _big brother,_" Rebekah chided.

Shifting his glare to Rebekah, Klaus kept himself from voicing his objections to Stefan's over involvement of anything related to Caroline. "Say your piece and be gone, Rebekah. My patience with you is fading."

Rebekah studied the edginess with which Klaus held his body. Knowing something had happened between him and Caroline further roused her curiosity, but a thousand years had taught her when to not poke the bear… _or wolf._

"I'm assuming Caroline's safety still means something to you, seeing the way you rushed after her last night, so I thought it best to warn you… I can't call off Kol," Rebekah stated frankly.

"What do you mean?" Klaus asked menacingly as he advanced towards her.

"I'm not afraid of you, Nik, so you can stop with the intimidation. And I think I proved last night I can take care of myself." Tilting her head as if in deep thought, Rebekah reminded him, "I'm also positive I saved you from dying at the hands of a peasant like Damon Salvatore last night, so you can thank me for that and back off."

Narrowing his eyes in irritation, Klaus backed off. "Explain."

"There's a good puppy. I should thank you for taming him, Caroline," she said to the girl who looked at her with despair Rebekah didn't understand.

Shrugging it off, Rebekah explained, "I called him this morning. Apparently, he's got it in his mind that the myth of Silas is tied to the cure. I mean, honestly, can you imagine something scarier than you on this planet? But Kol believes it. So not only is he still targeting Caroline, but he's after her friends as well, until everyone gives up on the cure."

Caroline came out of her self-pity to look at Klaus with fear in her eyes. "Klaus," she breathed. "You can't let him do that. My mom…"

Klaus looked from Caroline to Stefan, making a snap decision. "Stefan, you go see to the Sheriff. Make sure no harm comes to her." Walking out of the room, he said, "I'll see to Kol."

Stefan nodded and was already on his way, leaving Caroline and Rebekah alone. "What's Klaus going to do to Kol?" Caroline asked the girl who stood pondering her decision to help one brother while endangering another.

"I don't know," Rebekah replied honestly, staring at the doorway Klaus had vacated. "But I know that whatever he decides to do will be in favor of you. I just hope that one day you can look away from your friends long enough appreciate the sacrifices he has made for you."

Caroline looked at her in bewilderment. "What sacrifices?!"

Rebekah turned on her in anger. "You ungrateful girl! Has he not shown you _kindness_ when he saved you from dying of a werewolf bite?! Has he not shown you _forgiveness_ as he walked away from ending Damon last night?! Has he not shown you _pity_ as he left Tyler to grieve his mother instead of extracting his well-deserved vengeance for plotting his demise?!"

Rebekah approached Caroline with disgust evident on her face. "I have followed my brother for a thousand years. He has never done any of that for anyone… myself included. He has sacrificed _himself_, who he has been for the past millennium, _because of you._ It's all for you, Caroline."

Caroline swallowed as the weight of her words settled over her. Rebekah shook her head in disappointment. "You think you're above him, that you're better than him. But you're just like him Caroline. You are the same. One day, you'll see it. I just hope for Nik's sake that it's not too late."

Giving Caroline a final glare, Rebekah walked out of the house, leaving Caroline to come to terms with everything she had been denying regarding a certain original hybrid.

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

"Well, well, look who finally decided to join the party," Kol said with a smile as he felt his brother approach him at the bar.

Turning his stool to face him, Kol asked, "I'm curious. How did you find me?"

Leaning against the bar, Klaus replied, "it was quite easy, actually. I followed the scent of blood. The vampires in this town aren't that careless. And I know you're the reckless sort so…"

"Hmm, my mistake. I'll do better next time. But I'm assuming you haven't come to admonish me on my eating habits, so speak, Niklaus. What is it you want from me?"

Smiling at his brother's overwhelming confidence, Klaus grabbed his arm and said, "let's go for a walk, shall we?"

Except they didn't walk. As soon as he got Kol into the back alley, Klaus sped him to his house, which was thankfully empty. He didn't need an audience for what he was about to do.

"The citizens in this town are off limits to you. I will do with them what I wish and you _will_ stay away," Klaus commanded, shoving Kol into a wall.

"Oh, come now, Nik. This has something to do with your girl... Caroline, was it?" Kol asked straightening himself. "Those fool children have no idea what they're going up against. To get their hands on that blasted cure they'll have to raise Silas."

"What do you know of it?" Klaus asked curiously.

"A few centuries ago, the witches I ran with told me of the legend. Of the cure. How was I to know that cure and this cure were one in the same? But I assure you Silas is the reason the cure exists."

Klaus considered this. "I'll take what you've said under advisement, but you need to leave Mystic falls. Now."

"Not until I stop them," Kol said urgently. "Silas will bring destruction upon us all! I haven't lived a thousand years to be struck down by Sleeping Beauty. I say, let him keep sleeping."

"And I said I'll take care of it!" Klaus yelled at him.

Kol studied his brother, trying to decide whether to trust him. "You don't believe me," he decided. "But the witches also told me the truth behind the hunter's sword and the hunter's tattoo. You need to study that sword again, Nik. You won't believe me, but the sword holds the truth."

"I believe I've given you enough chances," Klaus said as he pulled something out of the drawer behind him.

Seeing the dagger Klaus intended for him, Kol looked at his brother with defiance. "So you'll dagger me? For those idiot children?!"

Klaus silently stalked up to him, hating what must be done.

"No… It's for her," Kol realized. "For Caroline. I must say, I didn't expect you to fall so hard, dear brother."

Klaus didn't falter in his mission. Pressing the tip into Kol's chest, he said, "Good-bye, Kol."

"Wake me one day, Nik," Kol requested, accepting his fate. "Just so I can see if she ever accepts the monster you are. I sincerely hope Silas doesn't kill you before then."

Klaus didn't hesitate any further and drove the dagger fully into his brother's body.

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

"Klaus?" Caroline called as she came back to Klaus's house.

She found him much the way she had found Tyler not so long ago: drinking himself into oblivion as he stared into the blazing fire, hoping to make sense of what he had done.

"Klaus?" she called again stepping towards him.

"I thought you had gone," Klaus said without turning around.

The sadness in his voice concerned her. Walking around to face him, Caroline saw the trail of silent tears running down his face. "I only left to check on my mom… Klaus, what did you do?" she asked gently.

"What had to be done," he said as she lifted his face to look into her eyes. "Kol can't hurt you. He can't hurt anybody, at least not for the next few centuries."

Thankful that Kol was no longer an immminent threat, Caroline focused on Klaus's pain. "I'm sorry that you had to do that."

Finally seeing her concern for him, Klaus sat her down and explained. "You don't need to worry about me, Caroline. I've said good-bye to my siblings before. I'll have him back again someday."

"But it still hurts," she stated. "And I can still be sorry for it. You need to learn to let me in."

"I've let you in enough! It does me no good," he said looking back at the fire.

It hurt her to see her hand in the pain he felt. "I'm sorry, Klaus. I'm so sorry for everything I've done, everything I've made you do."

"Oh, don't blame yourself, Caroline," he said standing up, exasperated. "I would never do something unless I wanted to. Not even for you."

"But you've changed… Rebekah said-"

"Rebekah knows nothing of what she speaks," Klaus said, shutting her down.

Confused by his harsh words, Caroline tried again, "Klaus , I-"

"I'm leaving, Caroline," Klaus interrupted.

Her mind went blank, not comprehending what he said. "What?"

"I cannot do this anymore. I am not fond of self-inflicted pain."

"Klaus," she said firmly, standing up. "What are you talking about?"

Angry at himself for falling so far, Klaus took it out on Caroline.

"It pains me, Caroline! I have an ache in my chest that I cannot erase," he tried to explain.

"You said it yourself, sweetheart," he continued in a quiet voice, "I'm in love with you. And I don't know how to be."

"How's leaving going to help?" Caroline asked, equally riled now. "You can't just leave when things get hard. I never took you for a quitter."

Klaus gave a hollow laugh. "You don't get it, love. _Think about it. _I can't be the good guy, Caroline, _I don't want to be._"

"And I never asked you to be!" she yelled back.

"Then where does that leave us? Hmm? Are you going to explain to your friends how you asked the one person they've been wanting to kill to stay in town longer, because you need to experiment with your vampire side? How well do you think that will go over?"

"I don't need to experiment. I can handle myself!"

"Oh, that's right. This morning went so well. The young woman thanked you for being gentle and walked away happily."

Remembering what she had done this morning, Caroline brought her hands to cover her ears. "Stop! I didn't mean to do that!"

Pulling her hands away from her ears, Klaus made her face the truth."But you did. And you'll keep doing that until you learn to control your feed. You're excellent at controlling your urges, Caroline, but when you give in… that's when you lose control."

Seeing the fear in her eyes at the true nature of her potential, Klaus brought a hand up to cup her face. Speaking softly, he continued, "you know how to resist what you want, but slowly… the want is growing…"

Caroline swallowed as she looked into his eyes, no longer sure what he was referring to. As he spoke, Klaus's hand trailed away from her face to fist in her hair. "Soon you'll just take," he whispered, "and damn the consequences."

Before he could make a move, Caroline leaned up and captured his lips with hers. _Damn that million year-old patience._

What she didn't know was that Klaus had waited for this. He _needed _her to want this. He needed her to want this as fiercely as he did.

And she had given in just in time.

Tilting his head, Klaus forced Caroline to gentle her frantic force of the kiss.

She wanted to get the overwhelming need out of her system.

He wanted her to languish in it.

Tracing her lips with his tongue, Klaus waited until Caroline had calmed down enough to _just feel._ As he felt the tension leave Caroline, Klaus ran his tongue at the seam of her lips, silently willing her to open for him.

Caroline's mouth fell open in a grateful sigh. In the back of her mind, she knew this wasn't right. _But it feels right. _

Bringing her hands to rest on the sides of his waist, Caroline leaned into him, wanting him to take more. _Take all you want._

And Klaus did.

He didn't know where he got the patience, but the need to take this slow with Caroline was prevalent. Now that he had what he never allowed himself to take, he was going to make sure Caroline never had a moment's regret.

The slow kiss seduced her more than anything. It brought her peace but filled her with need. He kissed her as if she was his anchor. It was almost worship.

Klaus forced himself to be gentle, when his insides ripped at him to devour her in the need. Afraid that his urgency would scare her, Klaus tried to pull away to keep himself from losing control.

When Caroline tugged on his retreating tongue with her teeth, he almost gave up. Groaning at her tempting move, Klaus grasped her shoulders and lifted his head.

Smiling in happiness after what felt like forever, Caroline said confidently, "see? You can't leave me."

The blissful haze in his mind cleared at her words, reminding him why he couldn't do this. "This changes nothing. I still need to leave."

Caroline felt a pang in her heart. "But... why? Why do you want to leave me so bad?! I'm sorry if I hurt you, Klaus. I promise I'll-"

"I'm not trying to _leave_ you, love," Klaus interrupted her from making promises she couldn't keep. "I'm trying to _protect_ you. Leaving is the only way I know how."

"_Protect me from what?!"_

"Do you really think I've made no enemies in the thousand years I've spent waiting to break the curse? Do you think I don't have enough enemies in this town? How long do you think it'll take someone to use you against me?" Klaus tried to make her understand.

"I need to leave, Caroline," he said again, softly so she'd accept it. "I've never allowed myself to make vain wishes, but I wish to hell you could come with me."

Alarm flashed in her eyes. "My mom, Klaus.. and my friends. I can't-"

"It's okay, love," he tried to calm her. "I'm not asking you to come. I wouldn't take you even if you asked. You're not ready."

"So this is it?" she asked in disbelief of her fate. "You're going to leave and I'm always going to wonder 'what if'?"

"If it makes you feel better, I'll be wondering along with you," Klaus tried to make her smile.

"Well, it doesn't," she said, shaking her head in a suppressed anger.

"My apologies for interrupting," came the voice of yet another original sibling with spectacular timing. "But I have news of an urgent matter I believe will be of interest to you, Niklaus."

"Elijah," Klaus growled, irritated at his siblings' ability to interrupt him and Caroline. "This is not the time."

"Yes, I see. But I thought you'd appreciate being forewarned that Katerina is after the cure... and then she's coming for you."

**Next chapter is the last! I have two endings planned, and I'll write depending on how you all respond to this one. **

**Also, I couldn't just _kill_ Kol. Nope. Not gonna do it.**

**And I'm actually really excited to write Elijah. Hope I don't ruin his perfection :/**

**Please review! It keeps me going!**

**Thanks for putting up with me :)**

**P.S. excuse any grammatical/spelling error. I only just finished the chapter 5 minutes ago and don't have time to edit :/ I'll get around to it tomorrow, hopefully.**

**Ohh, and follow me at givemelovelikeklaroline on tumblr :)**


	10. Love is a Ruthless Game

**Please don't hate me until you read my note at the end of the story! It broke my heart to write this, but it isn't _that_ bad, I promise! Also, I've changed a few details from the show to suit the needs of this story.**

_"So you were never a saint,_

_And I loved in shades of wrong..."_

"And how do you know of it?" Klaus asked, suspicion rising at the brother who had been MIA since Klaus's fake death.

Klaus wasn't bitter that Elijah never bothered to call and say, 'I'm glad you're not permanently dead.' No, he just wondered what happened to _'family above all.'_

Elijah raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Just because you have given up on hunting Katerina, now that another woman has caught your eye," he said, shifting his gaze on to Caroline, "doesn't mean I have."

Klaus growled at Elijah's tone toward Caroline, causing Elijah to look back at him. "If you cannot speak of her with respect, do not speak of her at all, Elijah."

"Oh, no disrespect intended," Elijah immediately clarified. Walking up to Caroline, he waited patiently with his hand outstretched.

Looking at Klaus questioningly, Caroline hesitantly placed her hand in Elijah's strong but gentle grasp. Her eyes grew as he bent to kiss the back of her hand. _This happens in movies.. to women like Scarlett O'Hara or Elizabeth Bennet. Not to me. Not to Caroline Forbes…_

"I have nothing but the utmost respect and an unparalleled admiration of Miss Forbes, the woman who brought out the man in you, Niklaus, that I had believed died when we did," he said straightening his elegant form.

_Seriously, who spoke like that anymore? It's kind of… hot. _With these thoughts running through her mind, Caroline could not form words to respond. But Elijah wasn't done.

"You have renewed my hopes in my brother. I may have been away, but I have kept tabs on this town, particularly on my family. Your role in their behavioral change has not escaped my notice," he said, causing Caroline to blush at his old school charm. "I apologize for the part my siblings have played in your recent distress. However, I assure you they will never harm you again."

Not liking the wondrous look Elijah was putting in Caroline's eyes, Klaus came up behind her and pulled her back, away from Elijah's hold to rest against his chest. "I have taken care of it. Do not worry yourself over Caroline. She is not your concern," Klaus said with a menacing look in his eyes that Caroline couldn't see.

But Elijah did, causing his quiet amusement to grow exponentially. Caroline however was not amused.

"Um, _excuse_ me," Caroline said, twisting away from Klaus so she could glare at him for his high-handed manner. _Apparently he forgot I'm still mad at him!_

"I get that you're the 'alpha-male,' or whatever, but you're brother's not your little bitch, and neither am I!" Caroline exclaimed, stabbing her finger into Klaus's chest in anger.

"Elijah was just being nice, so you can either appreciate him for it, like I do," she said turning to smile at Elijah, "or you can leave with your bad attitude and come back when you've exchanged it for something reasonable!"

Klaus narrowed his eyes at Caroline, not liking having anyone question his authority, but Caroline met him glare-for-glare.

"Well, I see you've met your match, Niklaus. May I congratulate you for picking a stunner?" Elijah said, cutting the tension between the two.

"What you can do, Elijah," Klaus said swinging his angry gaze on him, "is tell me what you know of Katerina."

Raising his eyebrows Elijah glanced at Caroline before looking back at Klaus. "You don't mind an audience?"

Klaus leveled his gaze back on Caroline. "Whatever you need to say to me can be said in front of her. I trust her," he added, more for her benefit than Elijah's.

Caroline accepted this statement and let go of the anger that had been building inside her. This was just Klaus's way of reiterating how much he had given in to her. Caroline could accept that. _For now._

"So what do you know?" Klaus asked turning back to Elijah.

Getting back to business at hand, Elijah started, "I've learned that Katerina has found herself a hunter, one of the Five. I hear Jeremy Gilbert is one as well?"

"You hear right," Caroline answered, still upset that yet another one of their friends had to be supernatural.

"Well, this is an accomplished hunter. He has nearly completed his mark and the second it is done Katerina will move in to take the cure and use it to get her revenge on you, Niklaus. A human Klaus will be no threat to her."

"How did she come by a hunter so easily? We have seen no sign of them for centuries and now we know of two?" Klaus asked.

"I believe Katerina is working with a werewolf, Hayley. My informant tells me she was here in Mystic falls. She seems to have all the information Katerina needs."

A low sound escaped from Caroline's throat at the mention of Hayley's name. As Elijah spoke, Klaus looked over at her, wondering if the little wolf still made her jealous of the chemistry she had with Tyler.

"We need to find the cure before her, lest she use it on you or all of our family, as we have been the reason she has been running for 500 years."

Looking up at this, Caroline turned to Klaus. "Klaus, we need to get that cure for us… for Elena. We can't let Katherine get her hands on it."

Klaus studied Caroline, debating just how clean he'd need to come about what he had learned from Kol's tip about the sword. Coming to a decision, he told Caroline, "call your friends. I have some information they might like to hear."

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

"I must say, I never expected to get another invitation back here. Not after the last two times I was here," Damon said as he came in and dropped down on the nearest couch.

Smacking down the boots he propped up on the table, Caroline scolded, "you probably don't deserve one. And unless you want to have an angry Klaus on your hands, I suggest you behave. He _really_ doesn't like you!"

Smirking up at her, Damon teased, "I'm an acquired taste."

"Damon…" Elena chided from where she stood eyeing Stefan and Rebekah.

Damon threw up his hands as if to say, _sorry, I'll stop._

Stefan rolled his eyes, annoyed with his brothers antics, and asked Caroline, "so what does Klaus want from us?"

Caroline opened her mouth to answer, but a reply came from the doorway, "Nothing."

Everyone's eyes swung to Klaus walking in with the hunter's sword in his hands. "I have no need of any of you. I only called you all here as a _favor_ to you... to all of you in the race for the cure."

Placing the sword on a table, Klaus looked around the room. "Where's your witch-friend and the hunter?"

"They're working on controlling his urge to kill vampires. Particularly me," Elena explained.

"Hmm. I suppose you dying would be a pity. But moving on… I called you here because my brother Kol brought to light something I had not counted on in regards to the cure… something that may have you changing your minds on whether you want to continue to pursue it or not."

Picking up the sword again, Klaus continued, "Elijah has connections. He has gone to find the descendant of the witch who created the Five to confirm my suspicions."

"Suspicions? What suspicions?" Stefan asked.

"Yeah, not that I'm not a fan of suspense, but can you please forward to the part where this becomes relevant to me?" Damon interjected from his place on the couch.

Klaus smiled, "It's about to become very relevant. You see, there's a part of the sword I hadn't noticed," he said, peeling away the soft leather at the hilt.

"A cryptex," Caroline said staring at the sword.

As everyone turned to stare at her, Caroline looked up and shrugged, "what? I've seen _The Da Vinci Code_!"

Klaus studied her with a mix of admiration and amusement. _Always more than meets the eye._

"Yes, well, this 'cryptex' explains far more about this cure than the hunter's mark."

"What's all the markings?" Stefan asked, puzzled as to how someone could read it.

Rebekah stepped towards Klaus to study the sword. Looking up at Klaus, she said, "It's Aramaic."

"What's Aramaic?" Elena asked.

"It's a dead language," Rebekah answered, still looking at Klaus, "one that we speak quite fluently."

Nodding his head, Klaus continued, "yes, being around for so long certainly has its advantages. I was able to translate it, and I've learned something which impacts you all. There is only one cure. One dose."

Tension covered the room like a thick blanket. Everyone eyed each other, trying to decide how they could get it for themselves. Caroline narrowed her eyes at Klaus who seemed to be enjoying the anxiety spreading throughout the others.

"There's something else… what else do you know?"

Klaus shot her a look, as if to say, _you're ruining all the fun, _but answered, "here's the part you will like even less: the witch or the hunter will die getting to the cure."

"What?! That can't be the only way…" Caroline said in disbelief.

"Oh, but it is. Kol was right. The cure is buried with Silas. To get it we'll need to sacrifice the witch or the hunter to him. Think of it as a payment of sorts."

"There's no other way?" Elena asked desperately.

"Unfortunately none that I am aware of," Klaus said, sparing her a look. "If you do not believe me, Elijah will be back soon enough to back up my claims.

For a minute, everyone went quiet, trying to absorb the impact of what they had learned.

Then, Elena sat down next to Damon and cupped his face in her hands. "Listen, I know you wanted this for me, and I appreciate it, but this is who I am now. This is who I'm going to be. I love you and you might think it's the sire bond or whatever, but I'm telling you _it's real._ Can you just take me as I am?"

Caroline's eyes went to Stefan, whose eyes slid shut against the pain of Elena's words. _Could you have picked a worse timing, Elena?_

"I'll take you anyway I can get you," Damon answered.

Caroline shook her head in pity.

"Are you okay?" Rebekah asked Stefan quietly.

Stefan gave a humorless laugh, opening his eyes. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be? I lived all those years without her. I can do that again. Forever this time."

Caroline wasn't a fan of Rebekah's, but she was won over in the next moment. "Look, Stefan… I know I told you I wanted the cure, but if you're planning on being alone forever, then I don't really need the cure. Maybe you and I can be alone together… forever?"

Stefan studied her with a sad smile. "I'd like that," he said placing a soft kiss on her lips.

Caroline felt her eyes well up in happiness for her friend. She looked to Klaus and found him looking irritated at the teen drama unfolding around him.

"And now my favor is done. I have warned you, and you have had the sense to not pursue the matter any further. You may leave now."

Caroline shot him an annoyed look as everyone made their way out the door.

"You're not joining your friends, love?" Klaus asked raising an eyebrow.

"No," Caroline said, crossing her arms against her chest. "We still have some unfinished business."

Klaus looked away from her as he placed the sword down on the table. Walking over to his liquor cabinet, he poured himself a drink. "I'm still leaving, Caroline."

Unfolding her arms, Caroline threw her hands up, exasperated. "Why? You've asked me to give you a chance repeatedly, you've shown me that you're not just the monster everyone claims you are, and I see it now. I see it all!"

Striding up to him, Caroline placed her hands on his cheeks. "I see who you are, Klaus," she whispered, "and I'm ready to give you a chance… to give _us_ a chance. I think we owe it to ourselves."

"I'm still going after the cure, sweetheart. Elijah is bringing back the witch whose ancestor created The Five. She'll take us to the cure. I need to get my hands on it, before Katerina does."

Placing his hands on hers as they rested on his face, Klaus braced himself to break her heart.

"And I don't intend to come back after I get it."

Caroline dropped her hands. "But… what about me? What about us? You're seriously giving up?"

Klaus sighed, tired of trying to make her understand. "I told you, love, I'm not giving up on anything. You _need _me to leave. You need the space to come to terms with who you've become. If I stay, and one day you don't like whom you see in the mirror anymore, I'll become an easy target for you and your friends to place blame on."

Klaus shook his head as he took a step back. "I won't allow you to do that to us. I'll leave before it comes to that."

He turned away from her and downed another drink. "Go. Be whomever you want to be. When you've decided, I'll take you. Whether you've decided to remain a light in every darkness or if you've succumbed to the allure of it, if you still want me, I'll take you."

Needing to see her face, Klaus turned back. "I'm giving you up _for now._ I could never give you up forever. I tried to do that… I just don't have it in me. You _are_ my weakness, Caroline."

Caroline took in the desperation on his face she had never seen in him before. She tried to understand what he was saying, but none of it made sense to her.

"You know what, Klaus… screw you."

As she walked out, Klaus questioned whether he made the right decision or not.

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

She ended up at the Mystic Grille. Klaus had infuriated her beyond reason so she needed the crowd to drown out her thoughts.

As Matt brought her first round of drinks, she stiffened as she felt someone approach her from behind. "Caroline."

Her shoulders slumped as she recognized Tyler's voice. "Want to join me for a drink?" she asked without turning to look at him.

Taking a tequila shot from her hands, Tyler downed it and faced her. "Listen… I went to see Rebekah. She told me about how everyone has given up on the cure."

_Everyone but Klaus,_ Caroline thought as she took a shot.

"Rebekah won't help me go up against Klaus, but I'm not just going to give up," Tyler said adamantly.

"Tyler…" Caroline started. "Listen, I'm sorry for what Klaus did to your mother. It was cruel and she didn't deserve it. But you know the aggressiveness that comes with the werewolf gene better than anyone. Klaus has it in him as well, only it's ten times more extreme, because he was aggressive even as a human. He had to be with the parents he grew up with. It was either learn to fight or be killed by Mikael."

"Are you making excuses for him, Caroline?" Tyler asked, perplexed.

"No! There's no excuse I could make on his behalf to make up for what happened. I'm just trying to make you understand… betrayal is a trigger for him. He doesn't react well to it. And as his first hybrid, your betrayal at organizing a revolution against him hurt him the most. So he hurt you in the only way he knew how."

Caroline looked at him, hoping he'd just let it go. _He needs to let it go for his own sake. Or else Klaus will kill him as well!_

She handed him another shot as she grabbed one for herself. "Forget about Klaus. He's leaving town tonight, anyway. You won't hear from him again."

Tyler had been confused at her explanation of Klaus's behavior, but took the good news for what it was. "Good riddance, I guess. I can drink to that."

Taking a seat, Tyler grabbed her hand. "I know I've said some harsh things to you lately… I just… needed to work some things out. But now that Klaus let you go and is leaving… maybe you'd like to come over to my place tonight? We can talk… about us."

Caroline stared at the pleading look in Tyler's eyes, and wondered why she didn't feel any of the things she used to when she was with him. _Maybe Klaus was right… Maybe I do need to figure out who I want to be before I'm ready to be with somebody else…_

"Tyler… I don't think that's such a good idea." Caroline said quietly.

Tyler narrowed his eyes in confusion. "It's because of _him_, isn't it? He has you completely manipulated and you don't even see it!"

Caroline stood, wanting to get Tyler to calm down before he created a scene. "No! Tyler, it isn't because of him. It's because of _me_. I need time. I need to figure out what I want for myself before I let myself want anyone else."

The look in her eyes begged him to believe her.

Maybe he did, or maybe he didn't care anymore, but Tyler nodded his head and said, "I get it, Caroline. You're not available."

Watching Tyler walk away, Caroline sighed in defeat.

Suddenly, it all became too much. The room, the noise… the people. It all became too much for her senses to absorb and compartmentalize. The only clear thought in her head urged her to grab the nearest person and rip into their vein.

Caroline closed her eyes to shut it all out. _I can't do this. I can't do this. This can't be me!_

The thought repeated itself in her mind like a mantra. Slowly, her world shifted back in place. Opening her eyes, she realized the truth in Tyler's claims. _I'm not available. To anyone._

She grabbed her discarded jacket and dropped a few bills by her empty shot glasses. Turning to head home, she decided, _I need to sort out who I want to be first._

THE-VAMPIRE-DIARIES

"Caroline? Is that you?"

There was comfort laced in the sound of her mother's voice.

Inhaling the scent of her home, Caroline realized how much she had missed it. "Yeah, mom. I'm back."

Caroline waited as the sound of her footsteps came closer. Liz Forbes came into the room and rushed at her daughter. As if she suddenly remembered that her daughter was a teen and not fond of mommy-hugs, she came to a jolting halt a foot away from her.

"Are you back for good? Did he let you go?" she asked, fearing the worst.

Caroline gave a small smile at her mother's restraint. Stepping forward, Caroline wrapped her arms around her mother and hugged her just hard enough that she wouldn't break her.

"I'm back for good, mom."

They stayed like that for a moment, soaking in each other's presence.

Eventually, Caroline pulled back. "Are you home for the night? There are some things I want to talk to you about…"

Liz looked at her wristwatch. "I have a nightshift I can't get out of, but I have a few minutes to spare. Want to sit down?"

As they sat down in the living room, Caroline tried to decide where she wanted to start. She wanted to tell her mother everything. Not everything she had done and witnessed, especially not the part where she drank from humans, but she found she really wanted to tell her mother about Klaus.

"He let me go, mom," Caroline started, "he _made _me go, but if he had let me I never would have left."

"Caroline?" her mother questioned the look in her daughter's eyes she had only seen twice before: when she used to talk about Matt, and more recently, when she talked about Tyler. "Are you in love with him?" she asked incredulously.

Caroline saw the look of panic on her mother's face, but wanted to answer honestly. "No. But… he isn't unworthy. He's capable of love, mom. He loves _me. _That has to mean he's capable of being saved, right?"

Liz stared at her daughter, perplexed at what had become of her. The light Caroline seemed to have around her shined brighter than ever, but there were secrets in her eyes that Liz found worrisome. "I need to leave right now, Caroline, but I want to hear more about Klaus when I get back in the morning."

The curiosity on her mother's face didn't escape her. Rolling her eyes, Caroline stood to walk her mother to the door. "Absolutely."

Liz opened the front door to exit, but turned to face Caroline once more. "I don't want to leave you alone your first night back…"

Tilting her head, Caroline smiled, comforted that her mother still tried to protect her vampire daughter. "I think we've established that I can take care of myself, mom. You don't need to worry so much about me."

Liz raised her eyebrows in challenge. "You're still my little girl. I'll always worry about you. Call it 'mother's prerogative.'"

Caroline laughed as her mother got into her car and drove away. Closing the door, she turned to head for her room. Standing in the doorway, Caroline thought of how much she wanted to be back in her room at Klaus's mansion. It wasn't the grandeur she'd miss. It was the man she knew was right down the hall.

_This doesn't even feel like my room anymore._

Tossing her purse on her nightstand, Caroline went to open her drawers. She wasn't surprised to find everything was brought back and put in its place. _Mr. Original Hybrid, efficient as always._

She sat on her bed and faced the door. _I could just leave and go after him again… _Her mind kept alternating between hating him and missing him. Wanting him… and being glad he was gone.

_What have you done to me, Klaus?_

"I brought your belongings back while you were talking to your mother."

Caroline's eyes slid shut at the sound of his voice behind her. Not ready to face him, she remarked, "I thought you would have left Mystic Falls by now."

"Without saying goodbye?" Klaus came around the bed to sit down next to her. "you still think that low of me?"

"Yes," Caroline answered still not looking at him.

Klaus pulled her chin to face him. "Caroline…"

Looking into his eyes, Caroline couldn't keep up her ruse of hatred any longer. "No… I don't think low of you at all."

Klaus's lips parted at the need in her eyes. He came to say goodbye, to see her face one last time. He didn't want to leave on another spat.

"It's time, love. You need to go back to your world.

"_My world_, Klaus?" Caroline questioned. "You're a part of it now. I wouldn't know how to go back without you…"

Klaus held himself still, but the wetness in his eyes betrayed the bittersweet pleasure he felt hearing Caroline utter the words he never thought he'd hear.

"You'll get over it soon enough, love," he said in his low voice that raised goosebumps throughout her body.

Raising a tentative hand, Caroline touched his face and slowly leaned in to press her lips to his. Klaus tried to keep himself from responding, but failed when she flicked her tongue against his lips, demanding entry.

For a few moments, he gave in to the pleasure he knew he would be denied for long time. _In a thousand years, the hardest thing I've ever done is pull away from this girl…_

But he did pull away. Resting her forehead against his, Caroline whispered, "stay."

Klaus growled low in his throat. "I'm not used to denying myself what I want, Caroline. I need to go now, while I still can."

"And no happy ending for me?" Caroline questioned, frustration building inside her.

"You deserve a love story, Caroline," Klaus said, pulling his head back to look at her. "We'll get there someday."

Caroline laughed at the idea. "We're not a love story, Klaus... We're a tragedy."

Klaus tilted his head and assured her, "we won't always be."

They both went quiet at the prospect of a different future for them.

"Perhaps in a century?" Caroline asked, reminding him of a promise he made not so long ago.

"_Definitely _in a century," he promised.

Caroline fell back onto her bed with a sigh, not liking the idea of such a long wait. "So what does that make us for now? _Friends_?"

The smirk that sent shivers down her spine appeared on his face. "I don't have friends, sweetheart. And nothing I feel for you is even in the same realm as friendship."

Caroline considered this. _He's right. We're definitely not friends. _"I wish you would make me forget… if not the bad in you, at least make me forget you altogether. Make it easier on me to get over this."

Klaus mirrored her movement and fell onto his back to stare at her. "I told you, love, I can't do that. I _won't._ I won't make you forget how I surrendered to you… I won't let you forget.. how I fell in love with you."

Witnessing the blatant vulnerability in his eyes that he only let her see, Caroline felt something flip inside of her as anger came spewing out. Pushing up off the bed, she glared at Klaus who had raised himself on to his elbows to watch her.

"Get out," she said in a quiet fury.

"Caroline, what-?"

"I said _get out."_

"Caroline, what did I do?" Klaus asked, standing up to face her.

"_What did you do?!" _Caroline was losing her grip on the anger she tried to keep banked. "Oh, I'll tell you what you did… you said I could have it all!" she said with a shove hard enough that, if he hadn't been an original hybrid, would have sent him flying through the wall. Klaus braced himself as she continued to push him after every statement out of her mouth.

"_You said I could have anything I wanted… that all I had to do was ask! You made me believe it and you made me want it and I wish you hadn't because you didn't mean to give me any of it!"_

Tears were now streaming down her face, as Caroline beat her fists against his chest.

"You made me want a life you never meant to give me," she cried in a broken voice that ripped through Klaus.

Klaus grasped her arms in an effort to control her aggravation. "Caroline… love," Klaus tried to console her, pulling her into his embrace.

But Caroline was having none of it.

"No! Don't touch me! You wanted to leave, right Klaus?" she asked sniffling to get her tears under control.

"Here it is. This is the only good-bye I can offer you. Get out!"

The fight left Klaus as he watched her body convulse in shudders from suppressed sobs. He never meant to bring her pain, but in his need for closure, he never took into account the toll it would take on Caroline.

"As you wish, love." Klaus said quietly.

Taking in her features one last time, he turned and walked out of Caroline's life.

_"Love is a ruthless game,_

_Unless you play it good and right."_

**Please don't be mad! This is the end of this fic, but it's not the end of the story! Here's what's going on: If you like this and want to know what happens next, I have continued the story in another fic called "Who You Are Without Me" consisting of one-shots occurring within the next century. The first one picks up 6 months after this fic leaves off (remember that this story took place the week following Carol's death so it's still December-ish here).**

**Then, after about 5 one-shots I'll continue this story in another fic. It'll be what happens when a century has passed. You'll get a darker Caroline in that fic. And that story will have a happier ending! I promise!**

**Thank you so much for sticking with me for so long! I want to say thank you to the people who reviewed after the rocky second half of this story. Thank you to:**

**Cookie-chan91, Mystery Girl3, AGoodOmen, DuchessQueen, HelloCutePanda, HotHybridSex, justine, littlee-ol-me, onorinapr, lorita1635, angel1725, thehybridmikaleson, MJTE, Taylor, glevez25, Dramatic Melody, AgathaN, Addle, MTGZ, moon2012, Sadsunflowers, Ariel C. Rilmonn, Rianeliza, little miss michelle, Sam, lola, Melissa, KCforever, DGfleetfox, sunshinegold, meredith77, Sam0728, Chetopat, ForWhoCouldEverLoveABeast, CMT1992, jessnicole, Erianne, Irinaaaa, Native Princess, MyBrokenButterfly, el, and all the guests! ****(This was a long list. Next time I'll just thank you all after each chapter!)**

**Please review and let me know how you liked this chapter! Also, I plan on making graphics (gifsets or some sort of picture edits) to go with each one-shot, that'll be posted on my tumblr (givemelovelikeklaroline). Hope that sounds interesting! **

**A special thank you to foreverhybrid for the cover of this fic! Meghan, you're the best! (:**


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